In the wake of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments last month about the non-existence of gays in his country, US talkshow queen Oprah Winfrey has decided to highlight stories from the gay community around the globe on an episode of her show.

"One guest was arrested and spent a year in jail," Winfrey says of the 'Gay Around the World' episode. "Another says she was so fearful, she moved to a different country. And a prince's secret was so taboo, it ripped his royal family apart."

Guests include United Kingdom's John Amaechi, the former basketball player who came out after his career in the NBA; the Indian prince, Manvendra Singh Gohil, who came out to the consternation of his royal family last year; and the feminist spoken word poet, Staceyann Chin, who explains that being a lesbian in Jamaica made her so fearful that she moved to New York City.

"Thanks to Oprah for showcasing that gay people do exist outside American vodka and airline advertisements, appreciated though those may be, and to the brave individuals who stepped forward to tell their stories in these dangerous times," enthused US gay blogging website Logo this week.

The episode was transmitted yesterday in the US, and clips from it will shortly be available to view on the link below.