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Gay News: Supporters of gay rights group Stonewall have named former Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling Bigot of the Year.
By: Nigel Robinson
Chris Grayling Bigot of the Year
Chris Grayling Bigot of the Year
Stonewall supporters name their Bigot of the Year
5 November 2010
The MP for Epsom and Ewell, who is now Minister for Employment in the new Coalition Government, gained notoriety earlier this year when he was secretly recorded saying he believed B&B owners should have the right to turn away gay guests if they objected to their sexuality.
Rugby star Gareth Thomas who came out in 2009 was named Hero of the Year, and gay mental health charity MindOut was chosen by Stonewall supporters as Community Group of the Year.
The other awards, which were chosen by a panel of judges, included John Partridge as Entertainer of the Year for his role as Christian Clarke in EastEnders.
Coronation Street, which celebrates it fiftieth anniversary this year, was named Broadcast of the Year. The long-running soap has recently been running an acclaimed lesbian story line featuring characters Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson)
The Times was named as Publication of the Year, and the award for Journalist of the Year went to Peter Strudwick of the Independent who exposed so-called “gay cure” therapists.
Stella Duffy and Rupert Smith were jointly named Writer of the Year for their novels, Duffy’s Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore and Smith’s Man’s World.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova received the Sports award, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, was named Politician of the Year.
Ben Summerskill, Stonewall chief executive of Stonewall, said: “This has been a landmark year. All three major soaps have featured compelling depictions of lesbian and gay characters.
“All three main parties made gay equality a central, vote-winning election issue. And rugby now has its first openly gay professional player.
“We're proud to have seen all these successes of modern Britain reflected at the Stonewall Awards ceremony."
