Darren Hayes: "It Gets Better"

Darren Hayes, the former front man for pop group Savage Garden, has contributed a video to the "It Gets Better" project to encourage struggling LGBT youths to maintain hope for a brighter future.

In the video, part of the project created by columnist Dan Savage, Hayes talks about being tormented at school so badly as a teenager that he felt reluctant to attend classes. He contrasts that period in his life with the success he found in the arts, and the happiness he enjoys today with his civil partner of five years, Richard.

Watch the video below:

Savage Garden Singer Attacks Gay Media

Darren Hayes, the former singer of Savage Garden, has complained about the mainstream media "dumbing down" homosexuality.

He told Gay Times: "I have a whole issue about mainstream pop and certainly television culture, and how damaging that is in terms of dumbing down being gay

"All those clichés about being gay I think are really limiting whereas in reality it's just a trait, it's like eye colour or hair colour, it's a physical trait.

"Being gay is somehow an indulgent choice? It infuriates me. You're either Graham Norton or George Michael getting arrested in parks and I'm neither of those things."

The singer, who tied the knot with his civil partner Richard Cullen in 2006, also singled out US TV show Will & Grace for perpetuating stereotypes.

"I think it appeals to the lowest common denominator that basically there are two types of gay men, the slut, or there's the straight acting guy," he said.

"Neither of these things have anything to do with penises, or cocks in mouths or any of the things that are related to being gay."