Kristian Nairn slams Northern Ireland gay rights record

Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, known for playing Hodor in the HBO series, has criticised Northern Ireland’s gay rights record.

The actor, who was born in the city of Lisburn, criticised the enduring ban on same-sex marriage which sets Northern Ireland apart from the rest of the UK in an interview with the Thompson Reuters Foundation published on Saturday.

“It confuses me why we always have to be that little step behind on social issues like this,” he told the publication, calling for marriage equality to be legalised in Northern Ireland as it’s been in the rest of the UK since 2013.

“There’s a lot of very amazing things about Northern Ireland, but the gay rights issues are definitely not one of them.”

Same-sex couples in Northern Ireland can only enter civil partnerships. Recent surveys indicate widespread support for equal marriage both among citizens and in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Source: PinkNews