It is commonly true that those most opposed to gay rights, are those with repressed homosexual urges. Well, surprise, surprise, there is scientific proof that is exactly the case.

An an article in Scientific American shows that of two groups of self-reported heterosexual males (one being homophobic and one non-homophobic), the homophobic group showed a good deal of sexual reponse on a penile plethysmograph that measured their sexual stimulation to three different kinds of pornography.

By the way, the homophobic and non-homophobic criteria were based on answers to a questionnaire. The pornography was male/female, lesbian and male/male. The non-homophobic and homophobic were both stimulated strongly by the first two groups, but the non-homophobic were only slightly stimulated according to the meters, by the gay male porn.

Well, the homophobic group was though, pretty excited by the gay male pornography. In fact, 80% of the homophobic group showed a moderate to definite response to this pornograpy v. 34% for the non-homophobic group. That is an overwhelming difference in reaction between the two groups.

In a second study, homophobic males in a type of game, delivered longer and more intense shocks to individuals they believed were gay males v the shock that non-homophobic males gave to gay males. Both homophobic and non-homophobic males delivered the same type and range of shocks to what they believed were heterosexual males.

There was of course, no actual males, gay or not, being shocked. This was after viewing gay pornography. Obviously the gay pornography set off anger and emotional trauma in the repressed, homophobic males.

Sir Elton met with met Svyatoslav Sheremet an organiser of a gay pride march in Kiev who was beaten by a group of men after anti-gay reprisals meant the event was cancelled.

He discussed St Petersburg’s recently-adopted laws forbidding the promotion of homosexuality among minors, writing: “How tragic that Ukraine, which suffered under Russian domination for so long, should now be following suit.

“In 1991, Ukraine became the first former Soviet republic to decriminalise homosexuality. Twenty years later, it is among the first to threaten to imprison gay people again.

“If that wasn’t bad enough, HIV charities – including my own Elton John Aids Foundation – are convinced the new law would make it harder to get safe-sex advice to the young people who need it most. The UN says the failure to protect LGBT rights is one reason why the HIV epidemic is advancing in Ukraine.”

Sir Elton wrote that while Britain’s Section 28, “legalised prejudice”, took years to repeal, the laws in Eastern Europe would now “go much further”.

He discussed the Kaleidoscope Trust’s campaign – “What if it were illegal for you to be you?, saying: “Imagine if it were illegal to have blue eyes, or be under 5ft 10ins, and if breaking this law meant you could go to prison, or face attack or even death.

“In Ukraine and elsewhere, gay people don’t have to imagine it. They already face the very real prospect of being criminalised for their sexuality.”