Pink List topped by Paris Lees, Clare Balding and Peter Tatchell

Paris Lees (R) topped the list ahead of Clare Balding and Peter Tatchell

TV presenter Clare Balding, journalist Paris Lees and activist Peter Tatchell have been named on a list of the 101 most influential lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender figures in the UK.

The 14th annual Pink List has been published by the Independent on Sunday.

Meta magazine editor Lees was placed first, with Balding and human rights champion Tatchell coming joint second.

It comes as singer Will Young says more should be done to end homophobic language among school pupils.

The Independent received nominations from more than 1,300 of its readers with the paper whittling thousands of nominees down to 101.

A panel of judges including activist, blogger and poet Christine Burns, Diva magazine publisher Kim Watson and Independent on Sunday staff then decided on the final list.

Organisers said campaigners had been placed highly - following a year in which same-sex couples won the right to get married in England and Wales.

Ruth Hunt, deputy head of gay rights charity Stonewall, who campaigned for the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, is in fifth place.

Designer Tom Ford is named on an international version of the list

The bill, which created political and religious divides, received Royal Assent on 17 July.

Benjamin Cohen, Mike Buonaiuto and James J Walsh, the creators of the Out4Marriage media campaign which supported a change in the law, are placed at number seven in the list.

They are followed by activist and Miss England entrant, Jackie Green, and the head of UK Black Pride, Phyllis Opoku-Gyimah.

Last year's winner, London 2012 Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams is in fourth place.

Meanwhile, an international Pink List includes Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz, US fashion designer Tom Ford, and Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) - the US soldier convicted of giving classified documents to the website, Wikileaks.

Independent on Sunday editor Lisa Markwell said: "The Pink List has evolved to become an authoritative celebration of influential lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people throughout the country.

"Every year, it generates a huge amount of positive feedback and powerful stories of courage and bravery."

Writing in the newspaper, Will Young said he had become aware of concern about language used by school pupils - including the use of the word "gay" as an insult - after attending an education conference organised by Stonewall.

"Through the various seminars I attended I picked up one recurring theme: teachers and heads of schools were more than often not backed up by local authorities when it came to homophobic language," he said.

Young added that he had taken up the issue with Education Secretary Michael Gove whose "reaction, I was pleased to say, was attentive and encouraging".