Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero spoke out during a speech in the Huelva town of Almonte yesterday following comments made last Sunday in Madrid at a Catholic Church rally led by Cardinals and Bishops.

Clearly angry, Mr Zapatero defended his government’s policies, saying they were supported by the “immense majority” of the Spanish population and that everyone had rights in Spain, whether they belonged to a religion or not.

A spokesperson for Mr Zapatero’s PSOE Socialist party added that in a democratic environment there was no place for legislation regarding faith.

Jose Blanco, secretary of the party’s federal executive, went further, referring to the Church hierarchy “and their lies” and reminding them that “lying is a sin.”

Pope Benedict XVI addressed the rally on Sunday by a videolink from Rome.

He told the crowd, estimated at 150,000 people, that the family is “based on the unbreakable union of man and woman and represents the privileged environment where human life is welcomed and protected from the beginning to its natural end.”

The Archbishop of Mardid claimed that the government’s family policy was a retrograde step for human rights.

The Zapatero government introduced full gay marriage in Spain in 2005 and the main opposition party, Partido Popular, has said it does not intend to overturn it.

The Socialists and PP are only a few percentage points apart in opinion polls and the country.

Many commentators have viewed the rally, which was supported by PP, as an attempt by the Church to affect the outcome of March’s general election.

The popular lesbian website lists “beautiful and talented women of all persuasions, artists, musicians, athletes, filmmakers, movie stars and television celebrities,” but all of the top ten as voted for by their readers are TV stars.

In second place was Renee O’Connor, last year’s winner, who also starred in Xena as Gabrielle.

Lawless gained a dedicated lesbian as a result of the fantasy TV show, where she played a buxom, leather-clad warrior fighting the forces of evil alongside her side-kick, Gabrielle.

“The show’s Sapphic subtext, combined with Lawless’ sexy form, made the women swoon from coast to coast,” says LesbiaNation.

“After Xena, Lawless took a bit of a break to spend time with her kids and film some terrible B-movies.

“But soon she re-emerged into the limelight with a stint on Celebrity Duets, where she wowed the judges with her voice as well as her ravishing looks.

“Lucy broke away from her Xena steroetype by dying her hair blonde and going femme and the result was a whole new musical career.”

She left Xena in 2001 and is to return to the small screen this year in a new series of Battlestar Galactica.

The only Brit to make the top ten was Amanda Tapping, who plays Colonel Samantha Carter in long-running sci-fi series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis.

The most popular show, somewhat unsurprisingly, was The L Word.

Three cast members made the chart including Jennifer Beals, the hard welding/dancing star of ever-popular 1980s film, Flashdance.

The top ten are:

1. Lucy Lawless

2. Renee O’Connor

3. Mariska Hargitay

4. Amanda Tapping

5. Jennifer Beals

6. Leisha Hailey

7. Teryl Rothery

8. Jorja Fox

9. Rose Rollins

10. Kathryn Morris

To see the full list click here.

Unmarried couples will be able to settle their differences in Family Court thanks to Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls, who won Commonwealth and state backing for the federal law to be changed.

Previously these couples were obliged to split their assets in state courts, which were more costly, more complicated and took longer than the Family Court.

The Family Court, which has jurisdiction over gay and de facto custody disputes, will adjudicate the division of assets.

Hulls, who recently moved to set up a register to legally recognise gay relationships, said in the The Australian :

“Why should people be discriminated against in resolving their property disputes simply because they are not married?”

“It’s extremely costly for them at the moment. The Family Court is far more accessible, less costly and more user-friendly.”

The change has been discussed for the past six years.

The move to give equal rights to gays and de facto couples was a complicated one as the Commonwealth and the states could not agree.

The Howard government initially allowed the change for straight de factos, but not gay couples.

Hulls fought back against the decision by writing a letter to federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland in December, who then considered the change.

He also previously helped change Australian legislation on in-vitro fertilisation and the rules surrounding surrogacy, pushing for gay women to have equal access to the treatments as straight infertile women.

Psychologists at Queen Mary, University of London, announced their findings after computer-based tests on 140 volunteers showed gay men and women performed worse than heterosexual men in tasks involving navigation and spatial awareness.

Dr Qazi Rahman, who led the team of researchers, believed it showed women relied on local landmarks to navigate, and are slower to take in spatial information.

He said:

“Men are good at using distal, or geometrical cues, to decide if they’re going north or south, for instance.

“They have a better basic sense of direction, but they can use local land marks as well.

“Driving in a novel environment which is poor in cues is where these differences are likely to show up most.

“Women are going to take a lot longer to reach their destination, making more errors, taking wrong turns etc. They need more rich local landmarks.”

Tests, which were developed at Yale University, included volunteers swimming through an underwater maze to find a hidden platform and exploring radial arms projecting from a central junction to receive ‘rewards.’

Dr Rahman added: “Gay people appear to show a ‘mosaic’ of performance, parts of which are male-like and other parts of which are female-like.”

While men did consistently better in tasks requiring navigation and uncovering hidden objects, women were more successful when remembering the position of an object.

Facing closure from the bank, and under pressure from the government for her unorthodox teaching methods, headmistress Camilla Fritton (played with great relish by Rupert Everett), rallies her girls round.

Pitting their wits against former-flame, Education Minister Geoffrey Thwaites (Colin Firth), and her rougish brother, Carnaby (also played by Everett), Fritton joins her pupils in a plot to steal famous painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Dividing the girls into moderns tribes such as emos, chavs, posh totty and trustafarians, and featuring recreational drug-taking and school girl sex-chat lines, the film updates Searle’s original creations for a world with where our social mores have shifted.

Yet it retains his anarchic sense of fun that made the original books and films so fun.

Filled with one-liners, the script lampoons modern pop phenomena, from Harry Potter (‘it’s like Hogwarts for pikeys’, says new girl Annabelle, played by Talulah Riley, when she arrives at the run-down school) to Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth providing a hilarious send up of the scene when Mr Darcy emerging from a lake.

And great comic turns from the cast, which includes Russell Brand as Flash Harry and Stephen Fry as himself, ensure that it’s brought to life in an engaging way, making the film a worthy addition to the St Trinian’s canon.

The four options put forward for further discussion are the right for same-sex couples to marry, same-sex civil partnerships as in the UK, civil partnership for both heterosexual and same-sex couples, or no change to the current law.

The closing date for comments is 31st March 2008.

Senator Philip Ozouf, Jersey’s Minister for Economic Development, is the island’s only openly gay politician.

He told PinkNews.co.uk his preferred route is to follow the same civil partnership route as the UK.

“While we’re not part of the United Kingdom, I think the island community would be comfortable with that, and I think it’s deliverable.

“I don’t think it’s a second-class marriage. It is a different arrangement, but it’s as good as.

“The law will be drafted within 2008 and it could certainly be in by the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009.”

Senator Ozouf added: “I think it’s a mark of Jersey being an inclusive society respecting all sorts.

“It’s a modern, very successful small island state and has a modern and appropriate outlook on life.

“There’s also lots of rivalry between Jersey and Guernsey. So maybe you can ring up their chief minister and ask them when they’re going to do it!”

For details on how to contact the advisory board visit the States of Jersey website.

When contacted by PinkNews.co.uk today Fernando Villalba, the Spanish Embassy press councillor, said: “This is the first time I have heard about that. I haven’t seen it in the news.”

He said he had no advice for same-sex civil partners wishing to claim marriage benefits but suggested contacting the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who issued a note announcing the news last month.

Mr Villalba added, “I haven’t heard of a register of international marriage in Spain.

“You go to Spain as a married couple and you have your certificate of marriage. If you have to show that for a specific benefit or a specific purpose, you just show it.”

Reader Grant McClaren contacted the PinkNews.co.uk on Wednesday to say that the Spanish Consulate had told him they were unaware of the change in policy.

Mr McClaren had contacted the consulate for advice on registering his own UK civil partnership.

After directing them to the note verbale, which was posted on the website for the British Embassy in Madrid, he was told his UK civil partnership would still be ‘invalid’.

A ‘note verbale’ is a formal diplomatic communication delivered orally to an official representative of another country.

Trapote Dora, who works in the Spanish Consulate’s Civil Registry, told PinkNews.co.uk:

“After seeing the note verbale, it appears that civil partnerships do give the same legal benefits as marriage in Spain.”

However, she added she was unaware of any official process for same-sex couples wishing to claim these.

The British government has confirmed that a new agreement between the UK and Spain regarding recognition of UK civil partnerships was reached.

The British Embassy website reads: “The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the British Embassy in Madrid in a Note Verbale dated 16th November 2007 that same-sex couples who have registered a civil partnership in the UK should be treated as spouses for legal purposes in Spain.

“Implementation of this guidance is a matter for the Spanish authorities. Copies of the Note Verbale can be made available to Spanish authorities on request.

“British Nationals living in Spain are responsible for ensuring their own local administrative arrangements comply with Spanish law.

“UK civil partners should consult a lawyer/accountant over any concerns relating to next of kin/property/inheritance tax/tax issues.

“British nationals wishing to obtain information about marriage or civil partnership must also contact the relevant local authority to be sure of the requirements that they need in order for their ceremony to go ahead.”

The agreement follows a campaign by gay couple Paul and Martin Ward who signed the civil partnership register in Devon on Valentine’s Day this year, but were told it would not be recognised in Spain, where Paul lives.

Mariela Castro, director of the National Centre for Sex Education (CENESEX), is calling for new measures including non-discrimination on the grounds of sexuality or gender identity.

She also advocates the introduction of same-sex unions and adoption rights, and major reforms relating to health care and treatment of trans people.

Speaking to www.IPSnews.net, Miss Castro, who is the niece of Cuban Leader Fidel Castro and daughter of current president, Raúl Castro, admitted reform was necessary to address the country’s poor history on gay rights.

Speaking of the 1960s, she criticised the Communist party saying: “A revolutionary ideology should be truly revolutionary throughout, not just in some aspects. But the ideology of that era was deeply prejudiced against homosexuals.”

However she added that the potential reforms marked a gradual change of attitude in the party, saying: “Now they’re adopting more inclusive attitudes. Fortunately, they have learned and become aware of those errors and many others.

“What we are doing is helping it progress along the learning curve.

“What we have to do is learn from experience and take steps to move forward as a society.”

For its ‘Safe and Sound’ appeal, the Trust, who support homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, is offering supporters the opportunity to buy a gift voucher priced £18.

Just £18 provides a safe shelter for an LGBT young person for one night.

The vouchers are presented inside Christmas cards specially designed by Sir Ian.

Tim Sigsworth, Chief Executive of the Trust, said:

“Studies have shown that LGBTs account for 25 percent of homeless people, so they’re massively over-represented. I find that quite frightening.

“What would be fabulous would be if we could raise enough for a thousand nights off the street with this campaign.”

The accommodation it provides is tailored to the needs of young LGBT people, whose needs are not always meet by traditional providers at a time when they are particularly vulnerable.

Supported lodgings are available not just to those who are homeless, but also young LGBT people living in a hostile environment or who find themselves in crisis.

The Trust’s mentoring scheme teams young people with volunteers who, providing an average of two hours a week, offer support in all aspects of moving forward, from coming to terms with their sexuality, to getting a job.

Matthew from Salford was 17 when he approached the Trust for help. “I was getting verbal abuse from my family, so I decided to come to the trust.

“They fixed me up with a mentor, took my details and then I went in every week for a meeting. After about three months I got supported lodgings.”

Now 18, Matthew is leaving his accommodation in two weeks to start a new life as a Blue Coat at a Pontin’s Holiday Camp.

“The Trust has enabled me to be happy with who I am.

“My confidence has gone up a lot. I’m more motivated and I have more passion and drive. It’s helped a lot.”

While the Trust currently only works in London and Manchester, they provide information to organisations supporting homeless LBGT young people in other parts of the country.

If you would like to purchase a ‘Safe and Sound’ voucher, or want to find out more about volunteering, please call 020 7831 6562 visit their website.

The news follows reports that G-A-Y will be soon be forced from current home, London’s Astoria on Charing Cross Road, so it can be demolished as part of plans for a new Crossrail station, which have recently been given the go-ahead.

Mr Joseph refused to comment directly for legal reasons but told PinkNews.co.uk: “I’m always looking for venues. It’s a matter of finding the right ones.”

He added: “It’s like buying a house. Until it’s all gone through, it could fall through.”

The Pure Group, who run Heaven, were unavailable for comment.

G-A-Y which, which occupies The Astoria on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for different events, regularly attracts mainstream pop acts such as Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Westlife.

Heaven, situated in the arches beneath Charing Cross train station, became London’s most famous gay nightspot when it opened in 1979, attracting stars such as Grace Jones and the Eurythmics to perform there.

The club also sparked outrage from The Sun for hosting seminal acid house club, Spectrum, in the 1988.

In recent years, however, its popularity has waned with increased competition from clubs in Vauxhall and Westminster Council’s stringent crackdown on drug-taking have deterring clubbers.

The G-A-Y franchise includes two other bars, G-A-Y Late located just off Charing Cross Road and G-A-Y bar on Old Compton Street in Soho.

The MAMA group, owners of the Barfly music venue chain and the management company of top British bands such as the Kaiser Chiefs, recently bought a 75% shares in Manto Soho Limited (MSL), the company which operates G-A-Y bar and G-A-Y Late.

Ghetto, a gay club on Falconberg Court, just off Charing Cross Road, is also facing closure because of the Crossrail station.

Marcus Bourget, chief organiser, revealed the possibility yesterday while speaking at the launch of Mardi Gras 2008.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event and is based on the theme, Brave New Worlds.

A poll of readers of samesame.com.au, an Australian Gay and Lesbian online community, also revealed that more than 72% favoured scrapping the current parade.

According to the site, Mr Bourget, said: “A 2005 study commissioned by New Mardi Gras for the Premier’s Department concluded that Mardi Gras was responsible for bringing $46 million into the New South Wales economy.

“It remains one of my great frustrations that we are still unable to share in the millions of dollars we generate for the state.”

He added that while Mardi Gras receives some support, it is only a fraction of what the event generates for the economy.

“As we celebrate the 30th anniversary the question I have for you is a simple one – can we imagine a Mardi Gras where we commemorate 1978 without the Parade?”

His suggestions for change included stripping the flamboyant parade back to it’s original roots as a protest, and removing floats and music so that it becomes just a march for the gay community

A poll of samesame.com.au readers showed that only 27.27% were happy to keep the parade as it is.

Just over 30% voted for scrapping the parade in favour of a march to a party in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

And a majority favoured scrapping the parade, both to introduce a march and to help focus on Fair Day, the day of Mardi Gras celebrations, as a day of remembrance.

Last week the Republic of Ireland’s Minister of State for Equality, Sean Power, reiterated that legislation allowing same-sex civil partnerships will be introduced next year.

While ruling out gay marriage as unconstitutional, he did confirm that gay and straight co-habiting couples would get many spousal rights through the Civil Partnership Registration Scheme among them “tax, pensions, benefits and property, the right to apply for maintenance, and proceedings to terminate a civil partnership,” according to the Irish Times.

Meanwhile the much-anticipated case of Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan, two lesbians seeking to have their Canadian marriage legally recognised in Ireland, is still waiting to go for appeal in the Irish Supreme Court after it was defeated in the High Court late last year.

The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), an organisation set up in 1988 to work for decriminalisation, is pushing for full equality and inclusion for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Ireland, and protection from all forms of discrimination.

Operating strategically in partnership with mainstream organisations, GLEN has been at the heart of calls for new legislation, working closely with the government on their proposed bill, due for publication in March 2008.

Eoin Collins, GLEN’s Director of Policy Change, spoke to PinkNews.co.uk about the changing attitudes to gay people in Ireland.

“Over the past two years it’s been very interesting,” says Eoin. “We had the Taoiseach (Irish PM) opening our offices – he was one of the first heads of government in the world to do that.

“And we had an ongoing contact with the then Minister for Justice Equality and Law reform who set up a working group on domestic partnership to bring forward options for government on legislative reform.

“The working group reported last year and for same sex couples it reported just two options. Civil marriage and if not civil marriage, because of constitutional issues, then at least full civil partnership giving all the rights and responsibilities of legal marriage.

“That working group has framed a lot of the discussion on this, which is very useful.”

The issue of Ireland’s 1937 Constitution, which currently defines marriage as between a man and woman, has been a point raised in both the Zappone and Gilligan court case, and the Civil Union Bill. How important is it in relation to the legal recognition of same-sex partnership?

“There are lots of different perspectives,” believes Eoin. “In the past there have been an issue about marriage and some people not wanting to buy into that.

“Certainly it’s something that, to be honest, we felt from the very start. We are an equality organisation and that’s what we wanted, marriage is an equality issue.

“Now I think there is a lot of discussion about whether or not civil partnership is enough and whether we should be holding out for full civil marriage.

“Certainly from our perspective we want civil marriage but we think something very serious, full civil partnership, is a very, very important step forward.

Last month saw the government defeat the Labour party’s Civil Unions Bill 2006, claiming it’s proposal to allow same-sex and unmarried couples to enter into civil partnership was unconstitutional.

“We will be very supportive of the women (Zappone and Gilligan ) making the case, but we would have welcomed the Labour party bill based on a number of things.

“One, it’s equality based. It’s saying that it’s giving all the rights and responsibilities of marriage.

“Secondly, it’s putting it on the agenda of the parliament to get it put through. These issues are very obviously immediate for a lot of people.”

The result of the Supreme Court case will have no bearing on civil partnership proposal,” says Eoin.

A ruling against the couple only means their Canadian marriage is not recognised, not that same-sex marriage is unconstitutional per se.

“I think our society has an incredible capacity to change and accommodate change,” he adds optimistically.

“It’s amazing how from all parties support can be generated.”

While the issue of same-sex partnership is an important one, it is not the sole issue on GLEN’s agenda.

Community issues and mental health are high, but it’s homophobic bullying in schools which is causing particular concern as in the UK.

“That’s a critical issue for us. I think it’s undoubtedly true that the church does control a huge amount of education and we haven’t had a lot of movement there.

“Everyone acknowledges we have a lot of terrible bullying but we’ve had very little movement around making schools safer and inclusive for lesbian and gay kids so that’s something we really want to work hard at.

“But we’d also say that civil partnership marriage links to that. Because for a young person, it’s very important they can see a future in which their relationships will have legal recognition.”

New Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Brian Lenihan TD will make his first address to a lesbian and gay audience when he launches the Annual Report of GLEN today.

He was speaking at the National Lesbian and Gay Federation’s (NLGF) symposium on Full And Equal Rights: Lesbian And Gay Marriage And Partnership Rights In Ireland. The symposium is part of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007

Mr Power added that the government was keen to pass the new laws as soon as possible and that they didn’t anticipate any objection from the opposition.

John Fisher, of ARC International rights organisation, told the Irish Examiner: “Same-sex couples are entitled to the same range of relationship options as opposite-sex couples, including marriage for those who choose it.

“Anything less is a denial of full equality. The struggle for equal marriage is about recognising love and commitment, strengthening families and affirming the core social values of dignity and respect.”

A bill outlining the new proposed legislation is expected to be published in March.

Mr Powers comments reiterate those made in a speech by Prime Minister Bertie Ahern last July, shortly after he had formed a new administration with the Green party.

Opening a gay community centre in Dublin, Mr Ahern told the crowd:

“This Government is committed to providing a more supportive and secure legal environment for same-sex couples.

“Taking into account the Options Paper prepared by the Colley Group, and the pending Supreme Court case, we will legislate for Civil Partnerships at the earliest possible date in the lifetime of this Government.”

The year before, Mr Ahern has announced a desire to attract more gay candidates to his Fianna Fail party, adding.

“Our sexual orientation is not an incidental attribute. It is an essential part of who we are. All citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, stand equal in the eyes of our laws.

“Sexual orientation cannot, and must not, be the basis of a second-class citizenship. Our laws have changed, and will continue to change, to reflect this principle.”

In first place was Brian Kinney, controversial lead character in the American series of Queer as Folk.

A lovable rogue, Brian indulged in drug-taking and promiscuous sex yet still found time to father a child with a lesbian friend and bring down a homophobic politician.

Four more characters from the US version of Queer as Folk made the top 25.

The show received critical acclaim for its realistic and unflinching depiction of the lives of gay men.

Second place went to Jack McFarland, the camp, catty best friend of Will Truman in Will and Grace. Will came fifth.

While the popularity of more recent characters shows the depiction of gay men is becoming more representative, the poll revealed continuing disparities.

Only three of the characters in the top 25 were non-white, the highest placed being Ricky Vasquez from cult 90s high-school series, My So-Called Life.

Just six of the characters were played by openly gay actors, half of whom were in Queer as Folk.

Others in the top 25 included Jack Harness from Torchwood, Marc St. James from Ugly Betty and Waylon Smithers from The Simpsons.

5000 readers cast their votes for over 150 candidates who dated back to Jack Panama in 1972 American series, The Corner Bar.

Channel 4 show Hollyoaks gay character John Paul McQueen makes the list at number 21.

The whole top 25 can be seen here.

The surprise news was announced earlier this week by the Nicaraguan National Assembly, reports La Prensa.

Under old legislation passed in 1992, “anyone who induces, promotes, propagandises or practices sexual intercourse between persons of the same sex commits the crime of sodomy and shall incur one to three years’ imprisonment.”

This article criminalises not only gay men, lesbians and bisexual people in same-sex relationships, but is vague enough to permit the prosecution of individuals for activities such as campaigning for LGBT rights or anyone providing sexual health information or services.

Nicaragua’s new penal code removes all reference to this, reflecting changing social mores in a country which Amnesty International targeted this year for contradicting numerous provisions in international human rights law.

The vast majority of countries throughout the Americas have abolished their sodomy laws.

José Pallais, president of the Nicaraguan Parliament’s Commission of Justice and Legal Issues, said the changes marked a modernisation, placing legal rights over the state’s moral code.

He added: “We are not creating a code of the Catholic Church here, we are creating a democratic code under modern principles and principles of legality.”

Abortion will remain illegal, however, after insufficient legislative support to change the law.

Eliot Spitzer made his remarks on Wednesday at a fund-raising event for the Senate Democratic Committee in Greenwich village, where guests had paid up to $10,000 to attend.

A witness told The New York Post that Governor Spitzer said:

“One of the first things we’re going to do when [Senate Minority Leader] Malcolm Smith is [majority] leader is gay marriage.”

His words were met with applause, the witness added, by the crowd of Senators,

Democratic activists and lobbyists, who were assembled in the library of the West 13th Street home of the creator of HBO’s prison drama Oz Tom Fantana.

Unlike many of the Governor’s speeches, no recording was made of the event.

Another witness, an elected official, reported that while he couldn’t remember the exact words of the Governor, he had indicated that he would follow the State assembly’s Lead of passing the first ever gay-marriage bill.

Gay marriage is still a highly contentious issue in New York.

A May survey by Siena College found that while 43 percent of New Yorkers are in favour of it, 47 percent are still against.

Spitzer’s spokeswoman, Christine Anderson, denied the Governor had said gay marriage would be a top priority. The cheers, she added, had been for his mention of the Assembly passing a gay-marriage bill.

John McArdle, spokesman for Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, told The New York Post:

“This is Governor Spitzer promoting another divisive issue and it indicates that his priorities are all wrong.”

Spitzer repeatedly endorsed gay marriage during his election campaign last autumn but had said that it’s adoption wasn’t a top priority.

The 31-year-old son of Hollywood legend James Caan, who starred in all three of the Ocean’s movies alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt, also offered $10,000 (£4,890) to fight the reporter who had taken pictures of him eating a cheeseburger.

He told website TMZ.com, who hosted footage of the incident: “I am sorry for using such a derogatory word.

“I was being harassed by a paparazzi, and unfortunately, the word slipped out.

“I don’t ever condone the use of that word and I deeply apologise to anyone whom I may have offended.”

He is not the first high profile actor to have made such a public apology for using homophobic language.

Actor Isaiah Washington was accused in October last year of referring to gay co-star TR Knight as a faggot on the set of Grey’s Anatomy.

Washington released a statement the same month saying: “I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on set.”

In January, however, he surprised reporters at the Golden Globes by denying that he had ever called his colleague “a faggot.”

Isaiah made a second public apology after television network, ABC, and gay media watchdog, GLAAD, criticised these remarks.

Gunner Ashley Yeats said he felt ‘embarrassed’ after catching Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher, 31, and Corporal Louise Ashman, 29, in the army stables of 40 Regiment Royal Artillery in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, where they were all working in early spring 2005.

Miss Fletcher is taking the Ministry of Defence to an employment tribunal in Leeds, alleging male colleagues tried to destroy her career and health because she was a lesbian.

Giving evidence, Mr Yeats said that earlier the same morning he had over-heard Lance Bombardier Fletcher say she was ‘horny’ and wanted sex.

“She then used her mobile phone and called Corporal Louise Ashman – I know this because she called her Louise – and arranged for her to come down to the stables after lunch.”

Gunner Yeats, who explained that explicit talk of sexual activity was common amongst soldiers, said that after Corporal Ashman arrived, the two female soldiers disappeared. He did not see where.

Continuing with his task of collecting hay in a wheelbarrow to distribute to horses, Mr Yeats found the pair when he went into the stables

“I wheeled the barrow into the middle lines of the stables and saw on the right hand wall Lance Bombardier Fletcher kissing Corporal Ashman.

“Corporal Ashman had her hand inside the front of Lance Bombardier Fletcher’s trousers in the groin area, so that all I could see was the collar of her combats, not her hand. I did not say anything but dropped the wheelbarrow to the right of the door and left.”

During the tribunal, Mr Yeats also claimed that Miss Fletcher’s standard of work were slipping. She was not mucking out due to a bad back and did not help with hay because of asthma.

Miss Ashman has previously insisted she was only comforting her colleague who had been upset by the unwanted attentions of a male sergeant.

Miss Fletcher is suing the Ministry of Defence claiming sex discrimination and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

When the tribunal began last week, Miss Fletcher said that the sergeant had vowed to “convert” her, and had told her that she had not yet experienced a “real man.”

He also added, “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

The sergeant allegedly sent Ms Fletcher perverted text messages about his penis and told her to break up with her “minging” girlfriend, according to The Sun.

When Ms Fletcher rejected his advances, she says she was harassed by his friends who forced her out of 40 Regiment, Royal Artillery in North Yorks.

In her new battery, Ms Fletcher faced similar treatment.

She says her tyres were slashed and she received abusive phone calls late at night.

She also claims to have overheard her new superior being instructed to “fuck her over” and “make her life a misery.”

The tribunal continues.

Mr Barker made the remarks to Gamepro.com on Tuesday while being interviewed about the design and release of his new game, Jericho, on the Xbox 360.

Asked about the role of gender in games, he said:

“One day I want to be part of a team that creates a game with a gay man or woman in the lead role where they are casually sexual, just as heterosexual characters are casually sexual in games, and have the public be perfectly comfortable with it.

“My belief is that audiences are perfectly comfortable with it already. I think it tends to be people in marketing departments that are most frightened by those types of ideas.

“As a gay man I’ve been writing about gay men and women from the beginning, from my first three Books of Blood,” he added.

“We have to fight for our place in the world, just as we had to fight for the right to be ourselves sexually.”

Comments left on the site’s message board voiced some strong resistance to the idea.

One comment said: “I was going to get that game, now I can’t on the basic principle a gay made it.”

Another read: “Why are these freaks trying to gay everything up. Stay in your own little world instead of trying to influence ours.”

Barker is no stranger to controversy.

He was recently involved in a war of words with columnist Roger Ebert on whether computer games could be art while his horror novel drew criticism for their views on religion.

HCMC University of Pedagogy conducted the poll of 300 pupils at three junior high and high schools and discovered that 80% of pupils al said “no” when asked “is homosexuality bad?”

Experts believe that while the actual number of gay pupils is difficult to determine, open homosexuality in schools appears to be on the rise, despite still carrying social stigma amongst the adult population.

Homosexuality is legal in Vietnam but same-sex marriages are banned and there are no legal protections against discrimination.

Nguyen Thi Tam, director of the Hon Viet Applied Psychology Company, has experienced a rapid increase in the number of 13 to 17-year-olds receiving sexual counselling.

“In 2006 every month we provided counselling to 10 teenagers on average. But in the first eight months of this year, the number doubled,” she told Thanh Nien News.

While children are becoming more open to discussing their sexuality, adults and teachers don’t often know to respond.

A mental health counsellor at Hon Viet said that most pupils were lonely and confused when discussing their sexuorientation.

Often social pressures and the stigma attached to being gay meant they were depressed, or felt indifferent, rebellious or even suicidal.

Parental reaction was typically unsupportive and many sought advice themselves for shock and depression. Some cried as they discussed their situation.

In contrast the survey revealed that most pupils said one was free to choose one’s own sexuality and could not be blamed for his or her sexual orientation.

72% of those with gay classmates said they remained friends after discovering their friends’ sexual orientation.

Some 34% said they tried to console their friends, 35% said they kept it secret, and 13% said they were “afraid.”

Only 2% said they looked at their homosexual friends with contempt.

The HCMC University of Pedagogy organised a recent conference on teenagers’ sexual orientation for teachers, pupils and doctors.

It is hoped that more will be held to help raise the issue and make life easier for gay or lesbian teenagers.