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Gay News: Rugby player Gareth Thomas and Queen of Shops Mary Portas are the two most influential gay people in Britain today according to the Independ
By: Nigel Robinson
Neither Portas nor Thomas were in lthe list in 2009
Neither Portas nor Thomas were in lthe list in 2009
Gareth Thomas and Mary Portas top gay Pink List.
The Pink List, which is produced annually, identifies the 101 most powerful openly gay men and lesbians in the UK today, and is decided on by a panel of prominent gay men and women, including Stonewall chief Ben Summerskill and Shadow Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw..
For Gareth Thomas and Mary Portas, who share the top position, this is their first appearance in the list.
Thomas came out in December 2009 to almost universal acclaim, and since then has campaigned for gay rights working with Childline, as well as continuing to play rugby league with the Crusaders.
Broadcaster and PR Mary Portas presents the hugely successful BBC programme Mary Queen of Shops, and last year entered into a civil partnership with her long time partner, fashion journalist Melanie Rickey.
Also featuring in the top ten are comedians Stephen Fry and Sue Perkins, broadcaster and Today presenter Ewan Davis, and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
Others appearing in the Pink List for the first time include Lord Justice Etherton, the first openly gay judge to be appointed to the Court of Appeal; Iraq veteran James Wharton who appeared on the cover of Soldier magazine; singers Kele Okereke and Alison Goldfrapp; and rabbi Sheila Shulman.
X Factor winner Joe McElderry was counted the hundredth most influential gay man in Britain, despite only having come out a day before the Pink List was published.
Peter Mandelson, who was at Number One in last year’s list, has now been relegated to 52nd place.
