The 39-year-old musician, who came out five years ago, told News.com.au: “I don’t want to be a gay or a straight artist. I don’t make gay records – I make records.

“I don’t want to feel like I have to be a poster child for anything other than being a great artist. I don’t take that on board as being my responsibility as a gay man, because I think it’s really limiting.”

Hayes, who had a civil partnership in 2006, said he was inspired by Michael Jackson as a child.

He explained: “For me as a kid growing up, I was gay and I didn’t even realise it, let alone accept it. I was told I was gay before I could even imagine it. I was incredibly bullied – ferociously bullied – as a child.

“I looked to this man that the whole world thought was a freak and I thought, ‘That’s normal’, and he was this hero to me. He taught me to sing.”

Mr Wilson, 73, lost the support of members after his Christian group Solas demanded a referendum on whether gay couples should be allowed to wed.

Solas, which has partnered with the Free Church, said last month that gay marriage was an “attack on marriage” and would violate the rights of heterosexual people.

In a statement, the director of Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau, Mary Kinninmonth said: “It’s sad that the tremendous achievements and work of Dundee CAB has been overshadowed by an issue which called into question its commitment to equality of opportunity.

“The board of trustee directors is keen to confirm that it is fully committed to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Bureau and equality of opportunity for all. The work of the bureau remains unaffected.”

The 28-year-old man is being held in custody, police said.

Two men were severely burned in the incident, which happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the Rainbow and Dove pub in Charles Street.

It is thought that a fire was started in the beer garden.

The victims, aged 22 and 20, remain in hospital. One suffered “life-changing” burn injuries to his face, while the other is being treated for burns to his hands.

Police say there is no evidence that the attack was motivated by homophobia or that the victims were specifically targeted.

Officers are still appealing for witnesses to the incident.

Police said the teenager was being “detained” over the murder of 28-year-old Stuart Walker.

Mr Walker was found dead with “horrible” injuries near an industrial estate in Cumnock. He had been beaten and burned.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: “We can confirm that an 18-year-old man is currently detained in connection with this inquiry.”

The man was taken into custody last night, reports said.

Mr Walker’s death is not currently being treated as motivated by homophobia, although police say they are keeping an open mind.

Few details of his injuries have been released but police said he had been subjected to an “extremely violent and sustained attack”.

Officers said the attack was not thought to be random and that it was likely Mr Walker knew his attackers.

Mr Walker was last seen alive near Glaisnock Street’s fire station at about 2.30am on Saturday October 22nd.

His body was found by a passerby two and a half hours later.

The singer, who previously admitted she was finding it hard to deal with the change, now appears to have accepted it.

Speaking to People magazine, she said: “As a mum, you have a child, and then all of a sudden you have a different child. But you have the same child.

“And so, it’s very hard to kind of twist your mind around to the adjustment. But then, when you look at it and you’re around your child, you just think, ‘No difference’. Same child, different wrapping.”

She added: “There are some people that are never going to be able to move out of their comfort zone. But I think that when people could see Chaz and see what a wonderful person he is, and kind and funny and all that, then maybe they could just relax off of what their preconceptions are.”

Bono has spoken out for trans rights since announcing his transition in 2009. He is currently appearing on US primetime series Dancing With The Stars.

The lawsuit was filed today in Boston and says the federal government, through the Defence of Marriage Act, violates their constitutional rights.

Under the law, the Pentagon must treat gay troops as unmarried, even if they are in legally-recognised marriages.

They are being represented by the Servicemembers Legal Defence Network, which says gay troops make the same sacrifices as heterosexual counterparts – but are treated unfairly.

Army veteran and SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis said: “This case is about one thing, plain and simple. It’s about justice for gay and lesbian service members and their families in our armed forces rendering the same military service, making the same sacrifices, and taking the same risks to keep our nation secure at home and abroad.

He added: “These couples are in long-term, committed, and legally recognised marriages and the military should not be forced to turn its back on them because the federal government refuses to recognise their families.”

Lead plaintiff Major Shannon McLaughlin of the Massachusetts National Guard, who is married with ten-month old twin girls, said: “We’ve been serving our country too long, working too hard, and sacrificing too much to see our families denied the same recognition, support and benefits as our straight, married counterparts.”

Those named in the lawsuit as defendants are the Secretary of Defence, the US Attorney General and the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs.

In a response to a recent House of Lords report on HIV and AIDS, he agreed that investment in HIV prevention would offer “significant savings” in the short and long term.

The Lords report, released in August, said the government is not doing enough to tackle the issue and that the priority given to prevention efforts is “woefully inadequate”.

Health Protection Agency figures released at the time showed that 3,000 gay and bisexual men were diagnosed with HIV last year – the highest number recorded.

In a response paper, the health department said it was currently considering spending on prevention strategies in future.

Ministers agreed with many of the Lords committee’s reccommendations, including reducing risky sexual behaviour, targeted prevention programmes for gay and bisexual men and sub-Saharan African communities and encouraging people with HIV to become advocates for others with the condition.

But the department disagreed with the Lords committee’s call for a national HIV prevention campaign, saying there was “little evidence that this would be effective”.

Health minister Anne Milton said: ‘As the report makes clear, we need to reduce undiagnosed HIV so people can benefit from effective treatment and to prevent HIV transmission.

“The government’s modernisation of the NHS and priority for public health provides a good opportunity to improve outcomes for HIV and improve prevention.”

Lisa Power, policy director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We welcome the government’s support for HIV prevention and increased testing.

“NHS budgets are under increasing pressure and the number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to rise.

“Stopping infections is far cheaper than treating them, and most new infections come from the one in four people with HIV who don’t yet know they have it. Renewed investment in targeted HIV prevention and testing campaigns is vital, not just for public health but also the public purse.”

Mr Tatchell spoke out in support of Adrian Smith, 54, who was disciplined by the Trafford Housing Trust for the remarks on his private Facebook page.

Mr Smith wrote that while the state was free to legislate for gay civil marriage, he felt that churches should not be forced to hold ceremonies.

When a colleague complained, he faced a disciplinary hearing and was found guilty of gross misconduct. He was demoted to the role of money support advisor and his salary dropped from £35,000 to £21,000.

Mr Tatchell said the trust’s actions were “excessive and disproportionate” and it should have simply warned Mr Smith about identifying himself as an employee online.

He said: “The trust was acting with good intentions in a bid to ensure equal opportunities, non-discrimination and inclusive service provision. Although its commitment to equality for lesbian and gay people is commendable, its response to Mr Smith’s remarks is excessive and disproportionate.”

Citing Mr Smith’s remarks about religious gay marriage being “an equality too far”, Mr Tatchell said: “This is not a particularly homophobic viewpoint. Adrian Smith’s opposition to churches being compelled to hold gay marriages is shared by much of the population, including many equality and human rights organisations.

“Adrian Smith reportedly made his comments in his own time on his personal Facebook page, which is not viewed by the general public. He expressed an opinion. He did not personally discriminate against anyone. There is no evidence that he has treated any of his gay housing clients adversely.

“His only possible misdemeanour is that he made his comments on a Facebook page where he identifies himself as an employee of the Trafford Housing Trust, allegedly contrary to the trust’s rules.”

Mr Tatchell added: “His opposition to religious organisations being forced to conduct same-sex marriages is shared by the Prime Minister and the Equality Minister, the gay rights group Stonewall and the entire leadership of the Church of England. If Mr Smith is guilty, then they are all guilty.”

Commenting on a news story about gay marriages in church, Mr Smith, who attends an evangelical church, wrote: “An equality too far.”

The next day, when asked by a friend if he disapproved of the move, he added: “No, not really. I don’t understand why people who don’t believe in Christ would want to get hitched in church.

“The Bible is quite specific that marriage is for men and women. If the state wants to offer civil marriages to the same sex then that is up to the state; but the state shouldn’t impose its rules on places of faith and conscience.”

Mr Smith has indicated he will sue Trafford Housing Trust for loss of earnings and breaching his human rights. He is being supported by the Christian Institute.

Stuart Walker, a barman from Cumnock, was found dead in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said he had suffered “horrific” injuries.

It has been revealed that Mr Walker was questioned several weeks before his death over an alleged incident involving a 12-year-old boy in August.

A report was sent to the procurator fiscal.

Police said there did not appear to be any link between the allegations and Mr Walker’s murder.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman told Press Association: “There was a report sent to the procurator fiscal in relation to an alleged indecency on a 12-year-old boy.

“There’s no suggestion that this incident is in any way connected to the murder.”

Detectives said this week that Mr Walker’s “lifestyle” is the “main focus” of the inquiry and that they have not ruled out a homophobic motive for the attack.

Chief Superintendent John Thomson said there was a “possibility” that he had been sexually assaulted before being killed.

Yesterday, prime minister David Cameron urged the public to help police with their inquiries after

Labour MP Sandra Osborne (Ayr Carrick and Cumnock) raised the issue in the House of Commons.

Mr Cameron said: “It was once said that the police are the public and the public are the police.

“The police cannot solve crimes without the help of the public and I hope everyone will cooperate in the best way they can.’

Mr Poots announced last month that he would not lift the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood because of “public safety”, despite the rest of the UK switching to a one-year deferral period November 7th.

The health minister, who says he is “an opponent of the theory of evolution”, has been accused of homophobia.

Yesterday, he was questioned by the Stormont Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety yesterday on why Northern Ireland is not following England, Wales and Scotland.

Gay rights group the Rainbow Project has been pressuring Mr Poots to lift the ban and has said it may seek a judicial review of his decision.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, John O’Doherty, from the Rainbow Project, said: “We are unclear how the minister arrived at a different position from his counterparts in other parts of the UK. We need to know what medical advice he has received.”

Another representative from the Rainbow Project, Matthew McDermott, pointed out that Mr Poots said he would accept donated blood from England, Wales and Scotland which would presumably include blood from gay and bisexual men who have not had sex in the last 12 months.

The minister, who said he was still consulting with health experts, said: “I’m not apologising for taking a precautionary approach.

“Ultimately my responsibility is the safety of the public …I’m not going to be rushed, pushed or harassed.”

In September, UK health ministers announced that the rules would be relaxed in England, Wales and Scotland on November 7th – allowing gay and bisexual men to donate if they refrain from sex for 12 months.

The decision followed a review by the government’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO).

Some campaigners have argued that any ban based on sexual orientation is discriminatory and may break European law.

The incident took place at about 12.40am on Tuesday October 25th at the Rainbow and Dove Pub in Charles Street.

The image is of a man police wish to identify and trace in connection with the incident.

Two victims, aged 20 and 21, are being treated in hospital. One suffered “life-changing” burn injuries to his face, while the other received injuries to his hands.

Early reports suggested they were doused in a flammable liquid which was somehow set alight.

Police say there is no indication that the incident was motivated by homophobia, although they are treating it as an assault.

Detective Inspector Simon Preston, who is overseeing the investigation, said: “We have been actively investigating the incident and studying CCTV footage from the area in a bid to identify the person responsible.

“We would urge the public to take a good look at the images and contact us if they recognise the man or have any suspicions about his identity.

“At this stage there is no evidence to suggest that this incident was homophobically motivated or that the victims were specifically targeted but we are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the events leading up to it.”

He added: “We would like to reiterate that incidents of this nature are extremely rare and we would like to reassure people that we will leave no stone unturned in finding the person responsible.

“If you were in the Charles Street area during the early hours of yesterday morning (Tuesday October 25th) and you witnessed the incident or the events leading up to it we would urge you to contact the police, if you haven’t done so already.

“It’s vitally important that we speak to everyone who was in the area as the smallest of detail could help us identify the man responsible. Any calls received will be treated in confidence.”

Speaking in Perth, Australia, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting, Mr Sharma said Commonwealth countries should “embrace difference” and commit to “tolerance, respect and understanding”.

He said: “We recall the 2009 Affirmation of Commonwealth Values and Principles, which includes a clear commitment to tolerance, respect and understanding. This means we embrace difference, and that includes sexual identity.

“Discrimination and criminalisation on grounds of sexual orientation is at odds with our values and I have had occasion to refer to this in the context of our law-related conferences.”

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the remarks were a “tacit rebuke” to the many Commonwealth countries which still criminalise homosexuality.

He said: “We welcome Kamalesh Sharma’s defence of gay human rights. He has shown strong leadership by making it clear that homophobic persecution is incompatible with the Commonwealth’s values of equality, human rights and non-discrimination.

“This is the first time that any Commonwealth Secretary General has ever condemned discrimination and criminalisation on the grounds of sexual identity at the CPF.”

He added: “We hope Mr Sharma will again make history by repeating his commitment to gay human rights in his keynote address on Friday to the Commonwealth presidents and prime ministers.”

Last week, retired High Court judge Michael Kirby, the Australian representative on CHOGM advisory group The Eminent Persons Group, said Commonwealth countries will be asked to repeal anti-gay laws to help combat HIV rates.

The vast majority of the 54 Commonwealth countries retain colonial-era bans on homosexuality and some have been accused of persecuting LGBT people.

In an email sent to supporters last week, the 34-year-old said he would no longer head Moscow Pride and GayRussia.ru but gave little reason for his decision.

In a Facebook post, he wrote: “Dear friends … today on 21 October 2011, one year anniversary of the European Court of Human Rights verdict in the case of illegality of Moscow Pride bans, I decided to resign from the positions of the head of Russian LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.ru and head of Moscow Pride Organizing Committee.

“From midnight 21 October 2011 in Moscow and up to the decision on the new leadership, Project GayRussia.ru will be headed by Nikolay Baev and Moscow Pride Organizing Committee by Alexander Naumchik.”

Speaking to UKGayNews.org.uk, he added: “It is true that I am fed up, and that is why I decided to step down. I also decided not to give any further comments on my decision.”

Mr Baev, who will take over GayRussia.ru, said: “The reason [for Alekseev's resignation] is totally personal. He just decided to change his activity and lifestyle, and he has a full right to this.

Alekseev, a former journalist, turned his attention to full-time gay rights campaigning in 2005, setting up GayRussia.ru and making plans for a Pride march in Moscow.

He has appeared regularly on Russian television and has been honoured for his work by LGBT organisations worldwide.

He has been arrested on numerous occasions for holding illegal Pride marches and gay rights demonstrations and launched lawsuits against Moscow authorities for banning the events.

Last September, the campaigner was arrested at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow while boarding a plane to Geneva.

He says he was kidnapped and possibly drugged by Russian security forces who detained him for more than two days and used his phone to send fake messages claiming he was dropping his legal challenges.

Recently, health experts warned that some strains of the disease are becoming immune to treatments.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection that, among gay men, is passed on through unprotected anal or oral sex and can spread to the throat, rectum or penis.

If left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, as well as making it easier to pick up or pass on HIV.

In men, symptoms can include drops of white or yellowish-green discharge from the end of the penis, pain when passing urine, or discomfort in the rectum. However, some cases have no symptoms.

According to HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust, diagnoses in gay and bisexual men in London rose 26 per cent between 2009 and 2010.

Ben Tunstall, head of health promotion at THT, said: “The emergence of drug-resistant strains of gonorrhoea is a real concern. Using condoms during anal sex will help guard against infection, but won’t protect you completely. It’s also passed on through oral sex and, if you have it in your throat, you may not have symptoms but will still be infectious.

“With rates of the infection increasing so rapidly in London, it’s really vital that gay and bi men get themselves to the clinic for a full check-up every six months, and encourage their friends and partners to do the same.”

The festival will showcase an “array of the queer, the extravagant, the bold, the unexpected and the daring” with theatre, dance, film, cabaret and discussions.

Visitors will be able to admire exhibitions including ‘Savage Style’, a collection of Lily Savage’s dresses, and ‘Pin Ups’, a selection of portraits by Sadie Lee and Matthew Stradling.

Dance highlights include the premier of ‘Cruising, Clubbing, F**king’ and ‘The Male Species’, a dance trilogy.

Live performances include Dykeotomy by Kimberley Dark and Tranny Hotel, which will see a host of trans performances around the Adelphi Hotel, in bedrooms, staircases and function rooms.

Other highlights include film showings of ‘Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger’, ‘A Taste of Honey’ and ‘The British Guide To Showing Off’.

Earlier this year, Homotopia achieved National Portfolio status from Arts Council England.

Recently, the festival has presented a year[long exhibition of the work of iconic artist Tom of Finland in Turku, Finland, taken young LGBT people to Warsaw on a cultural exchange and won a community safety award from Merseyside Police Authority.

For more information, listings and the full line-up, visit http://www.homotopia.net/.

Jenna Lyons, the president and creative director of J Crew, is in the process of divorcing her husband, artist Vincent Mazeau.

The couple married in 2002 and have a five-year-old son, Beckett.

According to the New York Post, Lyons has “fallen in love with another woman who also works in the fashion business”.

The woman has not been named.

Sources said Mazeau hopes to win the couple’s Park Slope home as well as a sizable settlement because he put his career on the back burner to be a house husband.

However, friends of Lyons said she had supported his career by buying him a studio and giving him time to work on his art.

In April, Lyons found herself at the centre of a storm after she was photographed painting her son’s toenails pink.

Child psychologists claimed this would cause “gender confusion” but others praised her for ignoring rigid gender roles.

The next month, the J Crew catalogue featured looks modelled by the company’s employees, including a designer and his boyfriend.

Ms Sturgeon met Bishop of Paisley Phillip Tartaglia yesterday as part of a government consultation on the issue.

Catholic Church parliamentary officer John Deighan told the Scotsman: “Bishop Tartaglia was forthright in his assertion that proposals to legislate for same sex marriage would be harmful to society and to the government.”

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Sturgeon said: “While ministers tend towards the initial view that same-sex marriage should be introduced, faith groups and their celebrants should not be obliged to solemnise same-sex marriage.

“We also gave an assurance that all views will be listened to.”

She added: “I therefore welcome today’s meeting with the Catholic Church which gave me an opportunity to hear the Church’s views and concerns about the consultation, while also enabling me to repeat such assurances.”

Bishop Tartaglia wrote to first minister Alex Salmond earlier this month to warn that the consultation would lead to a “serious chill” between the government and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

Glasgow archbishop Mario Conti has written to all Scottish parishes to urge them to oppose the government’s marriage equality consultation.

He said that churches would “actively campaign” to block marriage rights for gay people and warned that the move would create “larger divisions” in society.

The Wales international said he could no longer give “100 per cent” to the sport.

His management company broke the news today and his spokesperson Emanuele Palladino said: “We can confirm that Gareth Thomas is officially retiring from both international and club rugby with immediate effect.

“This marks the end of what has been a remarkable career for a remarkable person. Gareth hopes that through his achievements both on and off the field he has left a lasting legacy within the game.”

Thomas, 37, added: “I have listened and discussed this decision with many of my family and close friends. My mind has told me that the time to retire is now.

“If you can’t give 100 per cent to rugby then you can’t do it justice. This is a sad day, but I know that my time has come to an end as a player. My passion for the amazing game will never end or leave me however.”

The star was due to play for Wales against England in the Gillette Four Nations Series on Saturday.

Born in Sarn, Bridgend, Thomas spent most of his career in rugby union with Cardiff. After coming out as gay in December 2009, he switched to rugby league, making his debut for Wales against Italy last year.

Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke recently announced he plans to make a film about Thomas’ life and will play the rugby star.

Thomas said today: “I do not know what lies ahead, but I feel the challenge of something different excites me more than another year of rugby.”

“I would like to thank everyone I have been involved with in the sport. I could not have achieved it without any of them. I have great memories and great friends that I will keep for the rest of my life.

“I leave knowing I have done everything in my power to be the best person and player I could have ever been. And finally, I thank my parents for all their support and help throughout my career.”

The star, 24, said she did not understand her feelings.

Speaking to Metro, she said: “I grew up being terrified of it and not understanding it. No one explains it to you. It’s something that no one ever discusses.

“So I remember growing up and seeing women and actresses who had come out and were open about it, and it made me feel so much better.”

She added: “I didn’t even know bisexuality was a thing until I heard actress Fairuza Balk talk about it when I was a kid. I was like: ‘Oh my God, you can like both – and that’s OK.’ It was revelation.”

Wood, who previous dated goth-rocker Marilyn Manson, recently described her first relationship with a woman as “wonderful” but admitted she was “intimidated” at first.

She told Marie Claire: “I mean, it was terrifying at first. Not because I thought it was wrong but just because I was intimidated by women. It’s a totally different arena!”

Residents and local businesses have given their support to pedestrianise Sackville Street on Friday and Saturday nights.

The street will be closed to traffic between its junctions with Brazil Street and Richmond Street, creating a large pedestrianised zone that also includes Canal Street.

A trial in 2009 found that the number of road accidents and crimes in the area was reduced.

If backed by a council executive meeting next week, the scheme will begin in April and bollards will be erected.

The scheme is expected to cost £50,000.
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester city council city centre spokesman, said: “Manchester’s gay village attracts thousands of people from all over the world to the city centre, and this scheme will encourage even more visitors to come and enjoy the excellent pubs and clubs we have on offer.”

Greater Manchester Police Chief Inspector John McNeil said: “This is something that we would support. The pedestrianisation of Sackville Street would add to the safety of the village and allow people to enjoy the night life of the area while remaining safe.”

The plans were also welcomed by Andrew Stokes, chairman of the Village Business Association.

He said: “The pedestrianisation of Sackville Street will have a positive impact on thousands of people’s experience of the gay village as a leisure destination. The VBA supports the proposals and looks forward to its introduction in 2012.”