US televangelist Pat Robertson voted Stonewall’s Bigot of the Year Award 2013

Pat Robertson, the US televangelist, was named Bigot of the Year at the Stonewall Awards last night.

Robertson, the host of the 700 Club and the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), was given the title after his bizarre theory concerning the transmission of HIV between gay men.

In August, he said gay people purposely spread HIV by cutting people with “special rings”.

As a response, gay CNN anchor Anderson Cooper criticised Robertson during the ‘Ridiculist’ feature on his show.  

Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of Stonewall, said before announcing the winner: “We’re always clear that we engage with people who disagree with Stonewall in a respectful manner. Yet, when gay people are demeaned simply for the way they are born, we will challenge those words”.

He continued: “For every young person growing up gay in Britain and around the world, we—each and everyone of us—have a responsibility to challenge bigotry and prejudice”.

Robertson beat four nominees for Bigot of the Year including historian Professor Neil Ferguson; Reverend George Gabauer; leading ex-gay activist Scott Lively; and, UKIP Parliamentary candidate Winston McKenzie.

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