However, there were many sides to Hadrian, as a new exhibition about his life reveals.

As well as being a great leader who strengthened the empire through consolidation and crushed dissent
ruthlessly, Hadrian was also a cultured man and the first openly gay emperor.

Hadrian: Empire and Conflict, opens at the British Museum tomorrow.

It offers a new perspective on the personal life and career of a man of many contradictions.

Hadrian, full name Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus, was born in AD 76 to a family of Spanish descent.

His father died when he was a young boy, and he was taken under the wing of the Emperor Trajan, who groomed him for succession.

Hadrian excelled as a military leader and was married to Trajan’s great-niece, further cementing his future succession. He eventually became emperor on Trajan’s death in 117 AD.

However, the marriage was one of convenience rather than love; neither Hadrian nor his wife was happy.

Instead, Hadrian consoled himself with a string of lovers, including a young Greek boy named Antinous.

Homosexual relationships were nothing new during the Roman Empire, however, the extent to which Hadrian expressed his devotion for Antinous was unusual.

The young man became a consort of the emperor, accompanying him on his many travels. It was during one such trip to Egypt that Antinous drowned in the Nile in 130 AD.

Devastated by this loss, Hadrian founded an entire city, Antinoupolis, in memory of his lover, near the spot where he had died.

The emperor’s grief was such that he had Antinous deified as a god and many statues, busts and silverware featuring Antinous’ image were made. Some are included in the exhibition.

However, this soft, romantic side to Hadrian contrasted dramatically with his role as a military leader.

He was often ferocious in his suppression of dissent, particularly during a Jewish revolt in Jerusalem in 132 AD.

Hadrian was well known as a great traveller. It is said he travelled more widely, and met many more of his subjects than any other emperor.

He also showed a great interest in architecture, and oversaw the construction of many iconic buildings, including the Pantheon in Rome and the Villa Adriana in Tivoli, a magnificent celebration of Greek and Egyptian art and culture.

Hadrian died in 138 AD, aged 62 and is regarded as one of the “Five Good Emperors.” Thorsten Opper, the curator of the exhibition, hailed Hadrian as an “extremely successful emperor who left an immense and enduring legacy.”

Certainly, Hadrian was a man of many faces – military champion, political strategist, ruthless leader, man of the people, lover of culture, grief-stricken lover – and gay icon.

History should remember him as a complex man with many passions.

Hadrian: Empire and Conflict opens at the British Museum in London on 24th July.

NAT, the UK’s leading independent policy and campaigning charity on HIV and AIDS, has found that in one Brighton study, almost half of those who sought medical advice for what eventually turned out to be HIV symptoms were not diagnosed correctly.

Symptoms of early-stage HIV include sore throat, fever and rash and will show within two to six weeks of infection in 70-90 per cent of cases.

The report also found that 30-50 per cent of new HIV infections are thought to be passed on by people in the early stage of infection, making the need to catch new cases early in order to prevent the spread of HIV a priority.

However, the study found that doctors and other healthcare professionals were commonly dismissing these symptoms as signs of common viral infections, with comments such as: “Probably glandular fever” or “Come back in two weeks if you’re not feeling better.”

NAT argues that while these symptoms may seem innocuous, coupled with recent risky behaviour, they should suggest possible HIV infection and the need for a HIV test.

Chief Executive Deborah Jack said: “It is very worrying that GPs and other healthcare professionals are often missing the signs and symptoms of HIV infection.

“Prevention campaigns currently fail to communicate to individuals the symptoms of early HIV infection.

“Whilst it is important to say not everybody will have such symptoms, in the majority that do it is a one-off opportunity to diagnosis early. Diagnosing HIV at this early stage could have a significant impact on reducing HIV infections in the UK.

“Our advice is simple; if you suspect you may have been infected with HIV seek medical advice immediately. Do not wait.”

HIV testing has seen great advances in recent years. The majority of cases can now be diagnosed from 12 days after infection.

However, the figures for HIV infection rates in the UK remain high. Over 80,000 people live with HIV.

A third of people with HIV are not diagnosed, and a third of those that are diagnosed are diagnosed late.

The report calls for the latest testing methods to be used in all labs.

Last month, PinkNews.co.uk reported Heinz’s decision to pull a TV advertisement featuring a gay kiss after 215 people complained.

This resulted in a furious backlash from gay rights campaigners, LGBT media and politicians.

Thousands signed online petitions calling for the advert to be reinstated.

Gay equality organisation Stonewall called for a ethical purchasing policy when it comes to Heinz goods and protested at Pride London that “Beanz Meanz Bigots,” a play on the slogan “Beanz Meanz Heinz.”

A group of MPs signed an early day motion in the House of Commons condemning Heinz for withdrawing the advert.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg wrote to Heinz, calling the decision to pull the advert a “backward step in attempts to combat homophobia in Britain today.”

However, the furore has done little to dent Heinz’s power as a global icon, according to market research agency YouGov.

Immediately after Heinz pulled the plug on the advert, their “buzz” rating, which measures people’s positive or negative impressions of the brand, had dipped by one percentage point.

However, Heinz’s “recommend,” “quality” and “satisfaction” levels have either increased or remained steady.

Heinz has stayed silent over the affair, other than to apologise for “offending” viewers of the advert.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority recently announced it would not be investigating the advert as it did not breach the TV Advertising Code.

Steven Paul Hirschfield, 37, of Los Angeles had been at a yacht party, part of last weekend’s San Diego Pride celebrations, when he fell off the 222-ft vessel into San Diego Bay, reports the San Diego Union Tribune.

The Harbour Police were called and a police boat found Hirschfield about 500 ft south of the US Coast Guard Air Station.

Hirschfield boarded the boat and began fighting the two officers on board, knocking one to the deck.

He then grabbed the officer’s taser gun and began striking him in the face with it.

According to the Harbour Police report, Hirschfield then tried to take the officer’s firearm.

As the two struggled over the gun, the second officer shot Hirschfield in the upper body, killing him.

The injured officer was taken to hospital with face and leg injuries.

San Diego Police are investigating the incident.

Hetty Baynes had been seeking £800,000 from the estate of sculptor Mary Spencer Watson, who died in 2006.

Ms Baynes had claimed that Ms Spencer Watson had treated her as a daughter and supported her financially.

The court heard Ms Baynes and her family had lived at Dunshay Manor in Purbeck, Dorset, owned by Miss Spencer Watson.

Ms Baynes’ mother, Margot, had had an intimate relationship with Miss Spencer Watson for more than 50 years.

The couple raised five children from Margot Baynes’ previous marriage.

Miss Spencer Watson’s will bequeathed £2m Dunshay Manor to the building preservation charity, the Landmark Trust, leaving only £2,500 to Ms Baynes.

Ms Baynes had sought financial provision as a dependent of the estate.

The actress, who divorced her director husband in 1999, has appeared in numerous minor film and television roles over many years, but is now said to be heavily in debt.

However, Mr Justice Lewison dismissed her claim, saying Ms Baynes had taken advantage of Miss Spencer Watson’s generosity and was not entitled to any more.

He also dismissed a £1.6m claim on the estate by Margot Baynes, now 90 and suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Insure.com, which provides quotes from more than 200 insurers to people across the US, has posted an article claiming research has shown that gay men do not live as long as heterosexual men.

In an article headed Gay men die 20 years younger insure.com’s Joseph White, blames AIDS and gay lifestyles for this alleged difference.

“The studies did not disagree that gay men were dying younger than most other people. Why? The majority of the morbidity stems from AIDS,” he wrote.

“But there is also a significant amount of drug use involved in many parts of gay culture, as well as increased incidence of psychological illness, family instability and suicide.”

White goes on to suggest gay men are at a higher risk of dying than smokers or the obese.

He also questions insurers’ decision not to charge higher premiums to gay life insurance customers.

The LGBT community in the US is up in arms over White’s claims and insure.com’s apparent refusal to remove the comments, according to website Box Turtle Bulletin.

BTB’s Timothy Kincaid and Jim Burroway have branded the claims “false and defamatory.”

Kincaid claims he has been investigating the claims made in White’s article for several weeks and found them to be based on misleading and flawed research, some of it conducted by American psychologist Paul Cameron, who has allegedly linked homosexuality with paedophilia and approved of Nazi policies towards homosexuality.

According to BTB, insure.com CEO Robert Bland is standing by the article and has defended Paul Cameron.

In a comment on Kincaid‘s article, Bland responded:

“We think that there’s a human interest story to be researched here on why all US life insurers decline HIV-positive applicants (many of whom are healthy) but will not even attempt to s segregate gays who … may have a much shorter lifespan than non-gays.”

BTB said they were “dumbstruck” by Bland’s response and have refuted any claims that there is evidence to suggest gay men have a shorter life expectancy than heterosexuals.

PinkNews.co.uk recently reported that in the UK, the Association of British Insurers has updated its consumer guide for gay men covering HIV and life insurance.

The ABA claims that lesbian and gay people are treated fairly and that civil partnerships are treated the same as marriages by the insurance industry.

However research published in April has revealed that many leading insurers in the UK are still sending gay men for unnecessary HIV tests.

It also found that 80% of frontline customer service staff of British insurance companies gave incorrect information on gay men and insurance.

LGCM Chief Executive Rev Richard Kirker denounced the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FOCA), formed at the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem last week, as a “threat to all those who believe in an inclusive church”.

More than 300 bishops gathered in Jerusalem to denounce the preaching of “false gospels” of homosexuality and other “immoral” sexual behaviour.

The group is made up largely of clergy from the developing world, but also has support from some traditionalist English, Australian and American Anglicans.

Rev Kirker told PinkNews.co.uk a split in the church was unwelcome and unnecessary.

“Christians should respect and show unity, despite their differences. The world has no need for more division. We should be a family; no-one can gain from such a split.”

However, Rev Kirker did not believe the events in Jerusalem would have any long-lasting consequences for the church.

He also questioned the group’s claim to have the support of 35 million Anglicans worldwide and said he doubted the movement would survive for long.

“What happened in Jerusalem was essentially a power struggle, but the fundamentalist Anglicans (behind the movement) will find their support waning,”
he said.

He placed the blame on “rich, right-wing Americans plotting to take over the Anglican Communion.”

Rev Kirker urged Christians to talk to one another, but acknowledged there was no stopping those who were determined to go their own way.

“We’ve never asked these people to leave, however distasteful their views, but if the Nigerians, Kenyans and Ugandans are so unhappy, they are entitled to walk away.”

OneNewsNow.com, a division of the American Family News Network, had been using an auto-replace feature, which resulted in top sprinter Tyson Gay being renamed “Tyson Homosexual” in stories on their website.

This led to misleading headlines such as “Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic trials” and “Close call: Homosexual barely averts major flop in 100″.

“Tyson Homosexual was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has.

“His time of 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials Sunday doesn’t count as a world record, because it was run with the help of a too-strong tailwind. Here’s what does matter: Homosexual qualified for his first Summer Games team and served notice he’s certainly someone to watch in Beijing.”

“It means a lot to me,” the 25-year-old Homosexual said. “I’m glad my body could do it, because now I know I have it in me.” [...] After the race, Homosexual and Dix looked at each other and slapped palms, then hugged.

The AFN, which claims to “present the day’s stories from a Biblical perspective” and has over 1,200 broadcast, print and online affiliates worldwide, has reportedly made some corrections, but is still running a story on pro basketball player Rudy Gay, in which he is referred to as “Rudy Homosexual.”

As reported on PinkNews.co.uk yesterday, the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) has released its legal analysis of homophobia and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the 27 member states.

It concluded that Maltese people in same-sex relationships “are not treated in a like manner to heterosexual couples simply because of their sexual orientation.”

Even Maltese citizens who enter a legally valid, same-sex union in another country may find their relationship is not recognised in their own country.

The report on Malta was authored by Ian Regalo and Therese Comodini Cachia, who concluded that members of the LGBT community in Malta did not receive the same protection and rights as heterosexuals.

Maltese law states that marriage can only be between persons of the opposite sex.

This lack of recognition means same-sex spouses of EU citizens do not enjoy the same rights, such as freedom of movement within the EU, as opposite-sex spouses in Malta, which contravenes EU legislation.

EU law stipulates that not only legally-recognised unions, but also de-facto relationships between members of the same sex should be treated no differently to heterosexual unions.

This lack of recognition of same-sex unions also affects the status of refugees.

A refugee in a same-sex relationship with an EU citizen would not have the same legal protection as a refugee in a heterosexual relationship.

The report also highlights the discrimination faced by transsexuals in Malta, as there is no formal procedure for changing one’s gender status in law.

Last month, PinkNews.co.uk reported on the “inhumane” treatment of a transsexual Maltese woman who was told by a judge she could not be considered a woman in legal terms.

Malta is one of the most socially conservative countries in the EU.

A survey conducted in 2006 found only 18% of Maltese supported gay marriage.

The Mediterranean island, a former British colony, is the smallest EU state, with a population of just 400,000.

Actor Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Cashman MEP, MPs Evan Harris and Simon Hughes and gay equality organisation Stonewall’s chief executive Ben Summerskill spoke at the event organised by UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG).

They highlighted the plight of LGBT asylum seekers in the UK and need to change attitudes towards LGBT people globally.

Sebastian Rocca, Executive Director of UKLGIG, praised the speakers for lending their support.

“We are extremely grateful to be able to call upon the support of such inspirational people,” he said.

“Despite the constant pressure of raising funds, we will not only continue our very successful work in helping LGBT people obtain the sanctuary they deserve, but also ensure that LGBT issues are always considered and included in the Home Office agenda.”

Other speakers included gay asylum seekers from Iran and Jamaica.

There were also performances by lesbian comedy duo TetraFlap and Ngati Ranana – London Maori Club.

Founded in 1993, UKLGIG has worked with same-sex, bi-national couples fighting for the right to for foreign partners to remain in the UK.

It also receives hundreds of requests for help from LGBT people seeking protection in the UK because of persecution in their home country.

Over the last year, it has helped more than 200 LGBT asylum seekers by providing information, advice and support.

Chief executive Ben Summerskill blasted Heinz’s knee-jerk reaction to an “orchestrated campaign of complaints” as short-sighted and discriminatory.

“If the ad showed a black couple, and people complained, I very much doubt they would withdraw it,” he told PinkNews.co.uk.

The ad, for Heinz Deli Mayo, was pulled last Friday following some 200 complaints.

It showed a male New York deli chef playing the role of mum to two children and featured a kiss between two male parents.

The Advertising Standards Authority said it is continuing to log complaints to the advertisement but has yet to decide if it will investigate.

ASA press officer Olivia Campbell said viewers had felt “offended” by the advertisement, but that homosexuality itself was not a breach of its code.

Heinz spokesperson Nigel Dickie apologised to consumers who felt “offended” by the advertisement.

However, Heinz had no response for the many gay consumers it had also offended by its actions.

Mr Summerskill encouraged consumers to engage in “ethical consumerism” by not buying Heinz products.

He also questioned whether ethically-minded young people would want to work for a company with such attitudes.

Mr Summerskill said many members of the LGBT community had already complained to Heinz and encouraged others to do so.

People who want to complain can call the Heinz customer careline on 0800 528 5757.

“Perhaps if 200 PinkNews.co.uk readers call and complain, they will change their minds again,” said Mr Summerskill.

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Ahead of Saturday’s gay pride event in Sofia, the right-wing Bulgarian National Union leader Boyan Rasate is staging a protest against homosexuals he believes enjoy increasing political protection in the eastern European state.

“There are homosexuals in all political parties that one can think of. I have not heard of homosexuals in the Bulgarian Agrarian People’s Union”, Rasate said, according to Sofia News Agency.

Part of the “Week of Intolerance” agenda will be to examine ways to restrict “manifestations of homosexuality.”

Bulgarian gay rights activists condemned the move as a political stunt.

Aksiniya Gencheva of the Bulgarian LGBT organisation Gemini, which is participating on Saturday’s event, told the Sofia News Agency the BNU’s call to ban gay organisations contradicted the Bulgarian Constitution.

Gemini is expecting a protest by the BNU during Saturday’s parade.

Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in the 1960s, the age of consent was equalised in 2002 and anti-discrimination laws have been in place since 2003.

Gemini’s website claims the country has some of the best anti-discrimination legislation in Europe.

Social acceptance of homosexuality in Bulgaria, however, still has a way to go.

Recognition of gay rights is mostly confined to the large cities and among young people.

Research conducted last year found that only 17 per cent of Bulgarians “can freely communicate with gay people.”

There is still progress to be made on the legal front too, as same-sex unions have not yet been recognised.