The IoS Pink List 2011

Our annual celebration of the gay and lesbian community is back and it's better than ever because, this time, we've had your help

Ian Herbert
Sunday 23 October 2011 00:00 BST
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We asked Independent on Sunday readers to nominate the unsung heroes and heroines who make life as a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person better – as well as the celebrities who make the world a more entertaining place. You responded by sending in more than 1,500 nominations, which boiled down to about 300 separate names.

These have been pored over by our panel of expert judges, including two who represented their parties in parliament, two who have represented their countries at sports, a magazine editor, a comedian, four tireless campaigners and a HM Procurator-General, no less.

We hope that the list surprises, entertains, challenges and inspires you. Please let us know what you think.

1 (new entry) Elly Barnes

Music teacher, trainer, diversity officer

We asked you to nominate the unsung heroes and heroines who make a real difference to life for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Britain. And nominate you did. Dozens of people emailed The IoS to tell us about Elly Barnes, the teacher who claims the exceptional achievement of eradicating homophobia in her school, and is now helping others to do the same. Some of those who nominated Barnes had worked with her on her "Educate and Celebrate" course for teachers, PGCE students and psychologists, run under the auspices of Ofsted; others are students, past and present. One former pupil said this woman changed her life. Since 2005, she has been running LGBT History Month at Stoke Newington School, north London, every February. She says: "I've had pupils say, 'Miss, are you trying to turn us gay?' and I ask them, 'Do you turn black during Black History Month or Turkish during Turkish month?'." Barnes "came out" on Teachers' TV, and says: "It's ignorance that causes homophobia – once educated, attitudes change. Sometimes it's a deep-rooted hatred which takes a long time to change. The best way is to show positive role models." We think she is one.

2 (8 last year) Michael Salter

Broadcast adviser to PM

The judges singled him out for pushing gay issues inside Downing Street. Some may say Nick Boles (see no 25) has had more influence on David Cameron over the years, yet Salter's current position at the heart of government must be recognised.

3 (new entry) Jessie J

Musician

The singer-songwriter has become a recording force since bursting on to the scene late last year, winning four Mobos while holding court on subjects as diverse as materialism and bullying. She has taken to task any attempts to sensationalise her bisexuality; as she says: "Whoopie doo, guys... get over it."

4 (judge) Clare Balding

Broadcaster

Last year's Pink List judge is as easy fronting events as she was formidable in responding a year ago to A A Gill's teeth-grindingly backwards description of her as a "dyke on a bike" when reviewing her BBC 4 show Britain by Bike. In a civil partnership with radio newsreader Alice Arnold (see 79).

5 (10)

Sue Perkins

Comedian and TV presenter

The genial comic has seen her career rise like a soufflé this year thanks to her presenting stint on cult TV triumph The Great British Bake Off. Elsewhere, she has continued to thrive on Radio 4, while softening the blow of Times restaurant critic Giles Coren in their series, The Supersizers Eat ....

6 (4) Evan Davis

Radio 4 Today presenter

As well as playing good cop to Today's John Humphrys, with his soft grilling technique, the 49-year-old former economics editor also appears on TV, hosting Dragons' Den and a three-part investigation of the economy, Made in Britain. Gossip columns are obsessed with his body piercings.

7 (return) Antony Cotton

Actor

Cotton is in his ninth year playing Coronation Street machinist Sean Tully, who remains TV's best-loved gay character. Off screen, he has been a staunch campaigner for gay rights. Earlier this year he branded the PM "out of touch" over a proposed ban on showing same-sex kisses on pre-watershed TV.

8 (new entry) Charlie Condou

Actor

... and it's a Corrie double in the top 10, thanks to the dishy thesp who plays Cotton's on-screen boyfriend, Marcus. In real life, a figurehead for same-sex parenting, Condou is about to have his second child with his partner, Cameron, and their female friend Catherine.

9 (12) Scott Mills

Radio and TV presenter

Thanks to his sharp-wittedness and deceptively light touch, the award-winning drive-time DJ remains one of Radio 1's biggest draws. More than just a cheery voice, he showed courage in confronting Uganda's endemic homophobia for a recent BBC 3 documentary The World's Worst Place to be Gay?

10 (40) Heather Peace

Actress and singer

With 255 nominations in our public voting process, Peace was by far the most popular with you. Yorkshire-born, she has played gay and straight characters in shows such as Emmerdale, The Bill and Lip Service. She is also a classically trained pianist.

11 (13) Christopher Bailey

Chief creative officer, Burberry

Alongside two powerful women, chief executive Angela Ahrendts and finance director Stacey Cartwright, Bailey has turned Burberry into one of the darlings of the UK-listed sector – as well as the fashion scene. Its share price has more than quadrupled since the start of 2009. Bailey, as part of the team that moved Burberry away from associations with downmarket rip-offs of its famous check, is credited with turning the brand into one of the most desired British design houses, popular in the Far East and Europe.

12 (new entry) Steven Davies

Cricketer

Steven Davies became the first international cricketer to announce he is gay. The 25-year-old wicketkeeper/ batsman came out earlier this year in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. Davies has played one-day and Twenty20 cricket for England since making his debut in 2009.

13 (11) Simon Hughes

Deputy leader, Lib Dems

Outside government, but influential as Nick Clegg's deputy and the "conscience" of his party. Kept his sexuality private for years until he was outed by The Sun. Argued that civil partnerships should have the same status as marriage long before David Cameron.

14 (27) Nick Herbert

Policing minister

The most senior gay Tory is now the Prime Minister's go-to guy when he risks falling out with allies on equality issues. Maintains that gay rights are completely compatible with Conservatism. Attended Warsaw's EuroPride rally to persuade the Polish Law and Justice party to moderate its hard-line stance.

15 (17) John Barrowman

Actor and singer

The unstoppable hunk powers on: he gleamed brighter than ever in the glossy American co-production Torchwood: Miracle Day, flaunting Captain Jack's gay "mortal needs". Then there's the tour, the accompanying best-of CD, the men's beauty range, the forthcoming co-authored children's novel....

16 (76) Will Young

Singer

Ten years on from Pop Idol, in August the debonair crooner confirmed his position as our most successful TV talent-show graduate with his third No 1 album, Echoes. Increasingly vocal about matters of sexuality, he was also recently given the accolade of his own A Night With... special on ITV 1.

17 (19) James Wharton

Soldier

The military man who became a pioneer for gay soldiers after appearing on the cover of Soldier magazine in 2009 alongside the slogan "Pride" continues to be a role model for gay people in the Army. Last year, his civil partnership was hosted at the Household Cavalry's Knightsbridge barracks.

18 (20) Michael Bishop

Businessman

Baron Glendonbrook, the ex-chairman of BMI, started out as an airline baggage handler. His success at the company's helm led to a £223m sale to Lufthansa in 2009. Sir Michael now sits in the House of Lords, on the Conservative benches, and continues to be a prominent voice for gay rights.

19 (new entry) Julian Glover

PM's speech-writer

Exited The Guardian this month to become David Cameron's speech-writer, leaving the paper without a right-wing voice. Also known as Matthew Parris's other half (they entered a civil partnership in 2006), he is just as influential, credited with steering The Guardian away from Labour at the 2010 election.

20 (55) Matthew Todd

Editor of Attitude

Goes up 35 places after he made Attitude the first gay magazine not to carry chatline or porn ads. Todd won plaudits for highlighting mental health issues and became the first gay man nominated for the industry's Editor of the Year in the mens' mag category. His guide on how to be gay and happy is out next year.

21 (89) Chris Bryant

Labour spokesman

The MP began pursuing Rebekah Brooks and News International back in 2003; this year, his quarry was finally hunted down over phone-hacking. Well liked on all sides of the House, has also been a passionate campaigner over teenage pregnancy – which is high in his Rhondda constituency.

22 (1=) Mary Portas

Retail marketing consultant

During down time at her day job, running the PR firm Yellow Door, Portas advises the Government on how to save the British high street. Her findings are due next month. In her recent Channel 4 series, Mary Queen of Frocks, her partner, fashion journalist Melanie Rickey, features every week.

23 (6) Alan Carr

Comedian

In Jonathan Ross's absence, Carr's Chatty Man chat show began pulling in all the top A-list celebrities. Despite being openly gay, he plays down the influence of his camp persona, once saying: "Just because you're gay and on the telly doesn't mean you're a role model. I'm just a comedian."

24 (23) Neil MacGregor

Museum director

Saint Neil continued faultlessly as director of the British Museum, picking up the £100,000 Art Fund prize on behalf of his employers for the brilliantly inclusive A History of the World in 100 Objects project, as well as initiating yet more upmarket blockbuster exhibitions.

25 (return) Nick Boles

MP

A rising Conservative moderniser and strong supporter of David Cameron. Having failed to win election as an openly gay candidate in Hove in 2005, he succeeded in safe Tory Grantham last year. Briefly Boris Johnson's chief of staff in 2008, he ran the Policy Exchange think-tank.

26 (25) Terence Etherton

Judge

Lord Justice Etherton, a past Olympic fencer, continues to preside in the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the first openly gay judge to hold the post. Following his visiting professorship at Birkbeck College, London, last year, Sir Terence was this year made an honorary professor at Kent University.

27 (63) Clare Dimyon

Activist

Made an MBE in 2010 for "services to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in central and eastern Europe". In 2008, the seemingly inexhaustible Quaker campaigner persuaded British embassies throughout Europe to raise the rainbow flag for the first time.

28 (new entry) Sarah Brown

Cambridge City Councillor

Brown is the only "out" transgender activist serving as an elected politician in the country. She won a place on Cambridge City Council in 2010 and is a current member of the executive of the LGBT Liberal Democrats. She also chairs the organisation's transgender working group.

29 (56) Gok Wan

Broadcaster

"It's all about the confidence," is a typical Gok maxim, and that determined positivity has been at the root of the How to Look Good Naked presenter's war against size-zero "perfection". Having written several books of the "work that look" variety, he has just branched into fashion design for Sainsbury's.

30 (new entry) Jonny Oates

Chief of staff to Nick Clegg

The former Liberal Democrat director of policy and communications is one of the most influential unelected Lib Dems in government. However, as a former deputy leader of Kingston-upon-Thames council, he is that rare thing in politics – a spin-doctor with experience of the grassroots.

31 (61) Val McDermid

Crime writer

The bestselling "Tartan Noir" author's early novels, published nearly 25 years ago, introduced the UK's first openly lesbian detective, but even a decade ago she was still being told that a book with a lesbian theme was "commercial suicide". The multi-award-winning Trick of the Dark put paid to that notion.

32 (9) Nicholas Hytner

Producer and director

Artistic director of the National Theatre since 2003, Sir Nicholas, 55, must be a happy trouper: One Man, Two Guvnors, (directed by Hytner) is another West End hit to follow War Horse, allowing him to offset Arts Council funding cuts. Too bad that Tori Amos's musical, for next spring's season, has just been shelved.

33 (83) Jane Hill

Newsreader

A daytime newsreader on BBC News 24. She came out in 2009 in the Corporation's in-house magazine, Ariel. Just under a year ago she contributed a video for Stonewall's "It Gets Better" campaign to inspire hope in young people suffering harassment.

34 (66) Stella Duffy

Writer, actress, campaigner

Prolific writer and playwright turned political campaigner. Duffy looks set to break through into the big time with her latest novel, Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore. If that were not enough, she's currently developing a large-scale theatre project and two new feature film ideas.

35 (new entry) Christine Burns

Activist

A leading figure in achieving legal recognition (passports and marriage) for trans people, Burns was one of the first to receive a certificate recognising her gender under the Gender Recognition Act 2004. She moved away from frontline activism four years ago, to mentor younger activists.

36 (national treasure) John Browne

Businessman

Lord Browne made BP one of the world's most profitable companies before he was forced to step down after press revelations over his private life. Despite impressive achievements, he may be best remembered for the Browne review, which recommended lifting the cap on university fees.

37 (37) Steve Reed

Leader of Lambeth Council

Under the leadership of Labour councillor Reed, Lambeth Council moved quickly from a one-star to a three-star rating under the Audit Commission's inspection. Reed is regarded as a powerful figure in London politics, not least because he managed to win back Lambeth from the Tories' grip in 2006.

38 (new entry) Jennifer Fear

CEO, Step Forward

Step Forward, a young people's charity operating in east London, recently beat 420 charities to the prestigious GlaxoSmithKline Small Charity of the Year award. Step Forward helps young people in one of Britain's most deprived areas, working with LGBT issues as well as HIV support groups.

39 (35) Eileen Gallagher

CEO, Shed Productions

As founder of Shed Media, creators of Footballers' Wives, Gallagher helped bring the company transatlantic success with a £100m takeover by Time Warner, netting £3.8m for herself. Now chief exec of the subsidiary Shed Productions, she manages work on programmes such as the BBC's Waterloo Road.

40 (38) Mark Gatiss

Actor and writer

The ex-League of Gentlemen star is as busy as ever, with scripts for Doctor Who, an appearance at the National and a superlative documentary series on the history of horror among his recent achievements. His and Stephen Moffatt's much-loved Sherlock Holmes reboot returns to BBC 1 early next year.

41 (39) Adrian Fulford

Judge

As Britain's first openly gay judge, Sir Adrian Fulford made history. One of the most respected judges in the country, he presided over the 2005 London bombings trial, as well as those of major terrorist plotters, such as Saajid Badat. He has sat in the International Criminal Court since 2003.

42 (46) Matthew Parris

Times columnist

Writing brilliantly about anything from politics to shower gel, Parris recently raised the important issue of why it's an overrated waste of time (shower gel, not politics). The ex-Tory MP says he failed at six careers before giving journalism a try.

43 (53) Sue Sanders

Human rights advocate

As co-chair of Schools OUT, a group which pioneers LGBT awareness teaching in schools, Sue Sanders has been instrumental in combating homophobia in the classroom. She also helped establish LGBT History Month, which she co-chairs. Her career has been dedicated to quashing prejudice.

44 (new entry) Christian Jessen

Physician and TV presenter

In his role as a doctor and presenter of TV shows far better than their titles suggest, such as Embarrassing Bodies and Supersize vs Superskinny, Dr Jessen has become the kind and handsome face of the medical profession. He is also ambassador for Pride London's "Health and Well-being" campaign.

45 (29) Alan Davey

CEO, Arts Council

Davey has had a difficult year after the Arts Council's budget fell by 29.6 per cent. He has vocally lamented the "significant impact" such cuts will have on cultural life in Britain. When, in 2008, grant applicants to the council were asked to state the sexuality of their boards, Davey met with criticism.

46 (34) Matt Lucas

Actor and comedian

The mockumentary series Come Fly with Me met with mixed reviews and the 37-year-old announced that he and his Little Britain partner David Walliams were parting amicably. So it's fitting that Lucas is seeking pastures new: his turn in Les Misérables was a success and he's moving to Los Angeles.

47 (64) Russell T Davies

TV producer and writer

Davies's new Los Angeles life suits him: the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood: Miracle Day was well received on both sides of the Atlantic and the writer recently hinted that he may have one more Torchwood in him. More intriguing is a gay drama he's developing for the US, by the working title of Cucumber....

48 (95) Jonathan Harvey

Stage and screen writer

The keeper of Coronation Street's gay flame is steering the soap towards its first civil partnership later this year, and developing gay-parenting and lesbian storylines. Manchester's Royal Exchange is next month to stage a revival of his 1993 hit Beautiful Thing.

49 (87) Russell Tovey

Actor

The former History Boy has become the veritable face of BBC 3 recently, thanks to the successes of supernatural series Being Human and relationship comedy-drama Him & Her. In his own words, his blokey Essex boy demeanour continues to "sort of challenge people's perceptions of what a gay man is".

50 (47) Derren Brown

Illusionist

His mind-bending performances continue to grow in scale, becoming more controversial as the years go by. This year's The Experiments, first broadcast last week, saw Brown attempt to hypnotise an unwitting member of the public to "assassinate" a celebrity. Brown first came out as gay in The IoS in 2007.

51 (100) Joe McElderry

Singer

The 2009 X Factor winner, who came out the day before last year's Pink List, was crowned king of the reality TV show Popstar to Operastar this summer with more votes than the other contestants combined. He received dozens of nominations in our public poll, too.

52 (new entry) Simon Hopkinson

Chef

It's been a great year for the chefs' favourite chef and author of the seminal cookbook Roast Chicken and Other Stories. Known to his friends as "Hoppy", and one of the nicest men in food, he has moved from cult concern to mainstream hot property with his seven-part BBC 1 series The Good Cook.

53 (new entry) Lynette Nusbacher

Strategist and historian

Nusbacher has been senior lecturer in war studies at Sandhurst since 1999 and is a partner in the strategy think-tank Nusbacher Associates. She has spent three years on loan to the Cabinet Office as devil's advocate to the Joint Intelligence Committee and as head of the Strategic Horizons Unit.

54 (67) Susie Orbach

Psycho-analyst and writer

The author of What Do Women Want? and Fat is a Feminist Issue has made a career out of explaining the mysteries of modern womanhood. After 30 years with Joseph Schwartz, with whom she has two children, Orbach is now in a "post-heterosexual" relationship with writer Jeanette Winterson.

55 (5) Carol Ann Duffy

Poet Laureate

Being Britain's Poet Laureate means no issue is too small or lofty: from David Beckham's Achilles tendon and Will and Kate's wedding, to the banking crisis and the First World War. By using accessible language and addressing issues such as violence, gender and oppression, Duffy's poems have become popular in schools. Her collection The Bees was published this month.

56 (new entry) Eddie Mair

Broadcaster

One of the BBC's most accomplished news broadcasters, Eddie Mair makes Radio 4's PM show into something far more entertaining than an ordinary news bulletin. As the sole presenter of the show since 2003, he has won many awards. He was also an occasional presenter of BBC 2's Newsnight.

57 (50) Allegra McEvedy

Chef

During more than 20 years in the business, McEvedy has proved herself as chef, food columnist, TV presenter and restaurateur, co-founding the award-winning healthy fast-food chain Leon. Her latest book, Bought, Borrowed & Stolen, is an engaging compendium of recipes collected during her travels.

58 (14) Dominic Cooke

Theatre director

Cooke's reign at the Royal Court remains steady, with rave reviews for a recent revival of Arnold Wesker's Chicken Soup with Barley and a second West End run for its runaway new-writing success Jerusalem. His production of The Comedy of Errors with Lenny Henry opens at the National next month.

59 (51) Mandy McBain

Royal Navy officer

The most senior openly gay officer in the Royal Navy, with 20 years' service, Lieutenant Commander McBain was last year involved in averting a bomb hoax on HMS Excellent. She helped to create the Navy's first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum, which she chairs.

60 (22) Phyllida Lloyd

Director

A low-profile but industrious year for the director of Mamma Mia! (musical and film) – while the Royal Opera House successfully revived her 2002 production of Macbeth, the 54-year-old Lloyd was on set directing her much anticipated Margaret Thatcher biopic, The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep.

61 (new entry) Michael King

Psychiatrist

After completing his medical studies in New Zealand, King came to the UK to continue his training. Professor King has been interested in the well-being of LGBT people for more than 20 years and established the Royal College of Psychiatrists' special interest group in gay and lesbian mental health in 2001.

62 (54) Tim Hely Hutchinson

CEO, Hachette Livre UK

An old Etonian and son of an earl who also went to Oxford, he is now the group chief executive of Britain's largest publisher. He started his career penniless, but now one in six British books is produced by this popular publishing heavyweight.

63 (65) Guy Black

Director, Telegraph Group

The first openly gay Tory peer, Lord Black made his maiden speech last July, about the role of older women in society. He is a former director of communications for the Conservatives, and has been in a civil partnership, since 2006, with Prince Charles's former deputy private secretary, Mark Bolland.

64 (new entry) Phyll Opoku-Gyimah

MD, UK Black Pride

Co-founder of the UK Black Pride movement and poster-girl of the black LGBT scene, Opoku-Gyimah is a civil servant by day. A past winner of the Black LGBT Community Award, she also campaigns for equality in the workplace through her seat on the TUC race relations committee.

65 (77) Alan Duncan

Development minister

Rich and outspoken MP who became a minister under the coalition last year and is still there. Although the left is suspicious of someone who made his money in the oil industry, he earns admiration for hard work and a sharp mind. First openly gay Conservative MP, coming out in 2002.

66 (58) Ravi Mirchandani

Publisher/editor

After a soaring career trajectory that took in Macmillan, Penguin, Orion and Random House, the Cambridge history graduate is now editor-in-chief of Atlantic books, a hard-hitting independent publisher that had one book on this year's Man Booker shortlist.

67 (60) Philip Hensher

Writer and teacher

Reviewing Hensher's latest novel, King of the Badgers, in this paper, D J Taylor wrote: "As ever, one is struck, and seduced, by a coruscating intelligence...." Hensher teaches creative writing at the University of Exeter, as well as being a popular and challenging commentator.

68 (42) Angela Eagle

Labour spokeswoman

She was a junior minister for five years under Tony Blair and returned to the frontbench under Gordon Brown. Elected to the Shadow Cabinet last year, she is currently Shadow Leader of the Commons. The first lesbian to come out while an MP, her civil partnership with Maria Exall began in 2008.

69 (new entry) Jay Stewart

Co-founder, Gendered Intelligence

Having chaired FTM London, a support group for trans men, from 2004 to 2007, Stewart is now working on a PhD exploring trans identities as depicted in television. He organised the Trans Community Conference 2011. Gendered Intelligence works to support young trans people and their families.

70 (62) Patrick Strudwick

Journalist

A contributing editor at Gay Times and broadsheet newspaper columnist, Strudwick uncovered the industry of therapists offering gay-to-straight "conversions" in an article for The Independent. He is the British winner of the EU Journalist Award, as well as Stonewall Journalist of the Year.

71 (24) Waheed Alli

TV producer and peer

Media entrepreneur and Labour peer Baron Alli is also chairman of the successful online retailer Asos, and has a hand in a socially responsible mining project in Guyana. He has been central in the push to allow religious premises to hold civil partnerships.

72 (new entry) Jim MacSweeney

Bookshop owner

Sadly, the only bookshop looted during this summer's riots, Gay's the Word quickly bounced back with the help of the local community. MacSweeney came from Cork in 1984 and set up the UK's only dedicated lesbian and gay store in Bloomsbury, central London.

73 (new entry) Evelyn Asante-Mensah

Chair, NHS Manchester

Asante-Mensah was appointed chair of NHS Manchester in 2006. Until 2010, she was head of equality and economic inclusion for the Northwest Regional Development Agency where she led on research examining the economic participation of LGBT people in the North-west.

74 (new entry) Simon Blake

Chief executive, Brook

As CEO for the country's leading young people's sexual health charity, Brook, Blake is leading a national campaign demanding relevant sex and relationship education for all pupils in school. He is on the Government's sexual health forum and has advised Parliament on teenage pregnancy.

75 (new entry) Paul Martin

Chief executive, Lesbian and Gay Foundation

Recently nominated by Stonewall as Hero of the Year for his work at the Lesbian and Gay Foundation, Martin is also deputy chair of NHS Manchester and chair of The National LGB&T Partnership, a network of LGBT community groups that works to reduce health inequalities within public services.

76 (52) Peter Mandelson

Former politician

He may be gone from front-line politics, but the man who had two resurrections in government is never far away. Lord Mandelson is enjoying life after the Cabinet as an adviser to Lazard, but some believe the PM wants him to get a big international post, possibly with the World Trade Organisation.

77 (33) Dawn Airey

Television executive

Airey's career in commercial television began in 1985 after failing to land a BBC traineeship. Rising to become CEO of Channel 5, she left for BSkyB in 2002 before rejoining in 2008. Richard Desmond's takeover prompted her departure two years later but she remains a leading industry figure.

78 (48) Stephen Daldry

Director and producer

Daldrey is beavering away ahead of a big 2012: his version of Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close will be released; he part of the team devising the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies, and there are rumours he's working on a Broadway version of Disney's Dumbo.

79 (86) Alice Arnold

BBC Radio 4 announcer

A trained actress and former magistrate (for 10 years), the popular Radio 4 announcer and Today newsreader entered a civil partnership with Clare Balding in 2006. The pair (along with their dog, Archie, and their mild Sharon Gless fixation) are possibly the most popular couple on Twitter.

80 (74) Lionel Blue

Author and commentator

A Radio 4 regular on Thought for the Day, Rabbi Lionel Blue was the first British rabbi to say publicly he was gay and published Godly and Gay in 1981. A popular occasional contributor to the Today programme for more than 30 years, he is from a Jewish family in London's East End.

81 (75) Nick Partridge

Aids activist

Sir Nick's activism concerning the British health service and Aids has generated much media coverage in the past two decades and saw him awarded a knighthood in 2009. As CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust in the past year, he has raised awareness of the importance of testing for HIV.

82 (judge) Ben Bradshaw

Politician

The first cabinet minister in a civil partnership, the Exeter MP missed out on a Shadow Cabinet seat but has grown into the role of wise, witty backbench veteran. Unflinchingly loyal, and willing to go on Farming Today or Newsnight to defend his party. A return to the frontline cannot be ruled out.

83 (78) Mark Abrahams

RAF squadron leader

Wing Commander Mark Abrahams helped establish and chairs the RAF LGBT Forum. It holds conferences alongside London Pride and meetings with senior RAF officials. He flew Chinook helicopters for 20 years, including tours of duty in Afghanistan, and is the RAF's most senior serving gay officer.

84 (15) Michael Grandage

Director and producer

It's been a fitting final year for the revered artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, which included Derek Jacobi's celebrated Lear. The 49-year-old's final production will be Richard II in December. He'll then leave subsidised theatre – first up, a new Don Giovanni at New York's Metropolitan Opera.

85 (new entry) Roz Kaveney

Author and activist

A poet and novelist, Kaveney says that she was born Catholic, but got over it, and was born male, but also got over it. She writes about pop culture and publishes fiction. She wrote an unofficial companion to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and is now working on a memoir.

86 (new entry) Kelvin Holdsworth

Dean of Glasgow Cathedral

The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Provost of St Mary's Cathedral Church in Glasgow, has been critical of a Roman Catholic campaign against gay marriage. In October he said the comments of a Catholic bishop that same-sex union was not marriage were "embarrassing".

87 (new entry) Jackie Crozier

Director, Manchester Gay Pride

After six years at the helm of one of the longest-running Pride events in the country, Crozier has led the festival to a number of awards over the years. She is stepping down from next February but is set to continue her work in events and fundraising for the LGBT community.

88 (New entry) Nigel Owens

Rugby referee

Nigel Owens was one of the three officials for this morning's Rugby World Cup Final in New Zealand. He is the only international rugby union referee to come out, and did so in 2007. Owens, 40, from Llanelli, is a former school technician and youth worker. He was appointed to the international referees' panel in 2005

89 (85) Paul Burston

Writer

This year's anthology Men and Women, a new collection of stories about gay and lesbian love, follows his hugely popular 2010 book Boys & Girls. He was recently shortlisted for Journalist of the Year at the European Diversity Awards, and his literary salon Polari announced a new literary prize.

90 (new entry) Daniel Winterfeldt

Interlaw Diversity Forum

Working as a US Securities lawyer by day, Daniel Winterfeldt is also the founder and co-chair of the Interlaw Diversity Forum for LGBT Networks, a forum for the legal sector with more than 1,000 members and supporters from 70 law firms and 40 corporates and financial institutions.

91 (45) Richard Heaton

Director General for Pensions and Transformation, DWP

After stints in the Cabinet Office, Home Office and the Attorney General's office, Heaton became the most senior lawyer at the Department for Constitutional Affairs before joining the DWP. As the top lawyer for two large Whitehall departments, he is at the heart of delivering Government strategy.

92 (92) Rikki Beadle-Blair

Writer and performer

A man of many talents, Rikki Beadle-Blair describes himself as a performer, writer, director, composer, choreographer, artist, activist, CEO and mentor. His latest play, Shalom Baby, at Theatre Royal Stratford East, looks at inter-racial pairings in both gay and straight relationships.

93 (84) Iain Dale

Blogger

Dale replaced his politically insightful and influential nine-year-old blog in July with a "mega blog", featuring more than 100 contributors. The 49-year-old is author of more than 20 books, with this year's crop including Prime Minister Boris and Other Things That Never Happened (But May Yet Do So).

94 (new entry) Katherine O'Donnell

Journalist

O'Donnell is night editor of The Times in Scotland. As a senior Times journalist since 2003, she has been instrumental in promoting positive coverage of transgender issues in various organisations under the auspices of News International– the knock-on effects of which are incalculable.

95 (72) Jackie Kay

Poet and novelist

Burst upon the literary scene in 1991. Jackie Kay's latest memoir, Red Dust Road, traces search for her Scottish and Nigerian birth parents, echoing her first poetry collection, The Adoption Papers. She was created an MBE for her services to literature in 2006.

96 (new entry) Bethany Black

Comedian

Often billed as "Britain's only Goth, lesbian, transsexual stand-up comedian", the award-winning Bethany Black herself resists anyone's attempt to pigeonhole her. She began in stand-up in 2004 and her career took off when she opened Manchester's Pride festival in 2005.

97 (43) Deborah Warner

Stage director

Tricky times for the radical interpreter of classic drama and opera: the 52-year-old responded spikily to broadsheet critics of her Barbican production of Sheridan's School for Scandal. Will she now, as advised by The Guardian's Michael Billington, begin directing the work of living writers?

98 (new entry) Stephen Frost

Head of diversity and inclusion, 2012 Olympics

As a senior Locog staffer, Frost has put in place fair selection procedures and ensured that the board hosts a Diversity Week. The introduction of lapel "Diversity pins", although small, have led to a discussion within sports that would otherwise never have taken place.

99 (new entry) Melanie Rickey

Fashion editor-at-large, Grazia

Described by The Guardian as "the Mrs and Mrs of the style world", Rickey and her wife, the television shopping guru Mary Portas, are adjusting to life as Britain's most glamorous lesbian couple. Rickey is also credited with bringing fashion nous to Portas's various retail projects.

100 (79) Richard Barnes

Deputy Mayor of London

Elected to public office for the first time in 1982 and now a key player in Boris Johnson's London mayoral team. Appointed Deputy Mayor in May 2008 and is responsible for communities, cohesion and sustainability, as well as health and procurement. Barnes is also active in Aids and HIV charities.

101 (new entry) Anton Hysen

Swedish footballer

Though playing for lowly Utsiktens BK in Sweden, Anton Hysen became the highest-profile, if not the only, openly gay professional footballer in Europe when he came out this year. "Anyone who is afraid of coming out should give me a call," said Anton. He is the son of ex-Liverpool player Glenn Hysen.

National Treasures

They need no introduction; they're in a category of their own and life wouldn't be the same without them.

Stephen Fry, Broadcaster and writer

The over-exposed comedian did call last year's Pink List "homophobic" and "misogynist", and he does, rather hypocritically, make some backward comments about "lady-boys". But as the saying goes: hate the sin, love the sinner. One of our most glittering national treasures.

Graham Norton Comedian and presenter

Maggi Hambling, Artist, CBE

Sandi Toksvig, Comedian and presenter

As with the bacon, Denmark's loss is Britain's gain – without her, Radio 4 listeners would be lost at weekends.

Alan Bennett, Writer

Cameron Mackintosh, Impresario

The New York Times called him "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world". He more or less is the West End and produced Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Martin Guerre and Cats.

Simon Callow, Actor

Adele Anderson, Actress and singer

From Fascinating Aida. A Humanist, who opposed the Pope's UK visit and told The IoS in 1997 how hard it was to "come out" as a trans woman.

Rupert Everett, Actor

Amy Lamé Entertainer

US-born but an out-and-proud Brit since 2007. Brings her unique wit to stage, screen and radio.

Paul O'Grady Entertainer and author

Julian Clary, Comedian and novelist

'Nice to meet you'

New to us, or new to being openly gay, these newcomers could set the LGBT world alight.

Juliet Jacques

Journalist and blogger.

Bisi Alimi

The first Nigerian to come out on national TV, he now has asylum in Britain. Their loss is our gain.

Andrew Haigh

Director of Weekend, set to be the film of the autumn.

Kieron Richardson

Eccles-born actor best known for playing Ste Hay in Hollyoaks. Also appeared in Holby City.

Jill Jackson

Singer-songwriter, received a lot of your nominations.

Nigel Evans

One of three deputy Speakers of the House of Commons, came out in December saying that he was tired of "living a lie". That meant living down his vote against an equal age of consent for gay men in 1998.

Ellie Harrison

Artist and one to watch.

Sarah Graham

An expert on LGBT and intersex people and addiction. Now working with the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

Laurie Penny

Journalist and blogger.

Suran Dickson

About to launch Diversity Role Models' campaign against bullying in schools, backed by Theresa May.

Non-LGBT friends

You don't have to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to support those who are.

Ben Cohen Rugby player

A former England international, Ben is one of few sportsman actively fighting homophobia in sport. He retired from professional rugby this year to focus on The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, which combats homophobia and bullying.

Julie Hesmondhalgh Actress

As Hayley Cropper, the first transgender soap character, Hesmondhalgh challenged attitudes on-screen and off, with Press for Change, Manchester Lesbian and Gay Foundation, and other campaigns.

Daniel Radcliffe Actor

After supporting the Trevor project – which raises awareness of gay teen suicide – both financially and in films, Radcliffe said that combating homophobia is one of the most important things in his career.

Lynne Featherstone MP, Home Office minister

The Liberal Democrat has worked hard on her equality brief, pressing for gay marriage and the end of the ban on gay men donating blood.

Jonathan Ross Presenter

On hearing that his daughter Betty Kitten is a lesbian, all he cared about was that she is "good and happy".

Beverley Knight Singer

Popular at Pride events, she first spoke out against homophobia in 2004, after her friend Tyrone Jameson died of Aids. "I enjoy reggae music," she told The Voice. "But what I didn't like was seeing talented artists using their platform to gay-bash."

Suzanne Moore

Journalist and voice of reason

Bernard and Terry Reed

Both made OBEs last year. As parents of a transgender daughter, they founded the Gender Identity Research and Education Society.

Rachel Shelley Actress

Helena Peabody in the US The L Word, and very supportive of LGBT events.

Lifetime achievement award

Jeanette Winterson Writer

Her memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal, published this week, covers similar ground to her groundbreaking novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, which – difficult to believe – was published 26 years ago.

George Michael Singer-songwriter

Ken Plummer Sociologist

Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex: pioneered the sociological study of gay life in the 1960s, he still publishes books and works as an academic.

Chris Graham Bell Publisher

Soon to retire after 40 years of launching gay and lesbian publications to some 500,000 readers. Gay Times shortly marks its 400th issue.

Sir Ian McKellen Actor

Stephen Whittle Academic

Professor of Equalities Law in the School of Law at Manchester Metropolitan University and campaigner with Press for Change.

Neil Tennant Singer-songwriter

Jan Morris Travel writer

Her collected works, Contact, was republished for the Christmas 2010 market, along with many of her other books.

Sarah Waters Novelist

Elton John Singer-songwriter

Despite accepting $1m to perform for the right-wing commentator Rush Limbaugh's fourth wedding, among his 3,000 concerts he's had more than a few good ones.

The Judges

In the month since we opened nominations for the Pink List, 1,500 of you emailed your suggestions and sent them in to our website. We ended up with about 300 separate nominations, which were painstakingly sifted by our expert panel. We are immensely grateful to 11 judges who, at the pinnacles of their professions, would have appeared high on the list themselves if they hadn't asked to opt out. Instead, they stepped forward to discuss the names you put forward, and these are the ones they chose.

Thanks, to all of you.

Gareth Thomas

Stonewall's 2010 Hero of the Year and No 1 on last year's Pink List, the rugby player won 103 international caps for Wales. He came out publicly in 2009 and helps others in sport to do the same. Pundit for Rugby World Cup Final for ITV today.

Tamsin Omond

Climate change campaigner who scaled the roof of the Commons in protest at the Heathrow expansion. Calls acts such as splashing the Treasury in green paint "little bits of naughtiness". Hitched lifts to the Arctic Circle to highlight climate change.

Stephen K Amos

Stand-up comic born and raised in London. Has appeared on many BBC TV and radio comedy shows, and won a Royal Television Society Award for his documentary on homophobia in the black British and Jamaican communities, Batty Man.

Ben Summerskill

The chief executive, since 2003, of Stonewall, was a journalist and Labour councillor, leading campaigns against homophobia. Shortlisted as Britain's Most Admired Charity Chief Executive in the Third Sector Awards; created OBE in 2009.

Paris Lees

The editor of META magazine quickly established herself in the gay press through Trans Media Watch and with groundbreaking progress on Channel 4. Her digital publication, META, is aimed at the trans community, and launches next month.

Paul Jenkins

The most senior openly gay civil servant, a career lawyer advising Whitehall for three decades. Has been Treasury Solicitor but is particularly proud to be named Civil Service Diversity Champion. In a civil partnership for two years.

Margot James

Vice chair of the Conservative Party, responsible for women. She was on the A-list of candidates and elected MP for Stourbridge last year. The first openly lesbian Conservative MP, her partner is Jay Hunt, presenter of the BBC's Would Like To Meet.

John Amaechi

With 18 caps for England, Amaechi was the first Briton to win a place in the US Basketball Hall of Fame, and the first openly gay NBA player. He now runs Amaechi Performance, works in the US and Europe as a social entrepreneur and motivational speaker, and is a trailblazer for diversity in sport.

Greg Barker

Minister for Energy and Climate Change, he left his wife in 2006 and came out. He is taking on energy firms, flying the flag for the green agenda as it risks being overshadowed by the faltering economy. Warned modernisers they must "wake up".

Tim Franks

As chief executive of the LGBT health and wellbeing charity PACE, he has been active in gay community organisations for more than 20 years. Lead author of "Where to Turn?" an influential report on LGBT people in the mental health system in the UK.

Jane Czyzselska

Jane Czyzselska is editor of DIVA magazine and divamag.co.uk, Europe's leading and bestselling monthly title and website for gay and bisexual women. A frequent commentator and public speaker, Jane is a former Pink List honoree, a member of the NUJ, and a trustee of LGBT mental health charity PACE. On Twitter, she can be found @Czyzselska and @DIVAmagazine.

IoS Judges

Brian Brady, Whitehall Editor; Laura Chesters, Business Correspondent; Matt Chorley, Political Correspondent; Katy Guest, Literary Editor; Mike Higgins, Arts Editor; Jane Merrick, Political Editor; Hugh Montgomery, Arts Correspondent; Neil Robinson, Sports Editor.

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