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Gay news: Tragedy inspired him to help finance a play dealing with the issue
Elton John: 'We all need love'
Elton John's lover committed suicide over his sexuality
Sir Elton John has disclosed that a former lover committed suicide because he could not reconcile his sexuality with his Christian beliefs.
"Years back I had a relationship, and I had absolutely no idea in the word he was going to do this ... he threw himself under a truck," Sir Elton said.
"There was so much grief."
The singer was involved with the man before his civil partnership with David Furnish, who told The Sunday Telegraph: "He was so tortured by the conflicting views between his sexuality and his strong religious beliefs that he chose to take his own life. It's very sad indeed."
Furnish added that "out of respect" for the dead man's family he would not name him, but Sir Elton said his grief had inspired him to provide financial support for a play that opened in New York last week.
The couple are producers of the play, Next Fall, which concerns the relationship between two gay men: one a young Christian from the southern states of America; the other, a non-believer.
"It's the right timing for this," Furnish said.
"The religious divide between Right and Left has gotten wider, and so the rights of gay people never got back to where it was heading."
Sir Elton added: "Look, we all need love. We all have the same fears and insecurities. We should all be allowed to be free."
