Arlene Foster must "take action" against elected DUP members who make homophobic comments, an SDLP councillor has said.
The DUP leader, who is suing TV presenter Dr Christian Jessen for defamation after he tweeted an allegation she had been having an extra-marital affair, said in the High Court in Belfast that she is upset by claims she is homophobic.
"I do get distressed when people call me a homophobe because that's something I am not," she told the court on Wednesday.
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite said while he empathised with Mrs Foster over the affair allegation, she needs to do more to tackle homophobia within her own party.
"People who are in public life are quite often the subject of scurrilous rumours," he said.
He added: "I think Arlene now knows how difficult that has been for her and her family.
"In the context of what LGBT people in the public eye have had to face, based on really horrendous things DUP elected representatives have said over the years... I think Arlene really should take time to reflect," he said.
Mr de Faoite said Mrs Foster must "take action against those in her own party for example John Carson in Ballymena, who is still a party member".
Last year, Mr Carson, a DUP councillor, claimed that the coronavirus pandemic was linked to the legalisation of abortion and same sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
In a social media post, he wrote: "I said when abortion was legalised that our nation would be judged by God because of its departure from his word and the legalisation of the murder of the unborn child as well as same-sex marriage".
The DUP later said Mr Carson's comments did not represent the views of the party. Mr Carson apologised for any hurt caused.
Mr de Faoite said some DUP councillors in Belfast would be openly supportive of equal marriage and events including Pride "if it wasn't seen as so taboo within certain sections of their own party".
He said gay people in the public eye were often subjected to homophobic remarks.
Mr de Faoite said he was threatened with rape while walking though Belfast city centre in February.
He said when he posted about the threat online, he was met with comments "that were pure homophobia".
"There are challenges that women face in the public eye... but LGBT people face that as well," he said.
Green party councillor Mal O'Hara said Mrs Foster's comments about being called a homophobe were ill-judged.
"If the first minister actually met with lgbtq groups she may get a sense of why this statement is so misjudged," he tweeted.
"I see her distress and have some empathy for it.
"I'll put it against the behaviour of the party she leads toward lgbtq people."
