Rights Activist Peter Tatchell made the statement at a Gay Pride festival in Belfast this week, in response to comments made by members of the DUP about homosexuality.

The 56-year-old said King William of Orange, though married, had a number of male lovers and that it highlighted hypocrisy in homophobic attitudes in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Tatchell said: "It is particularly hypocritical for unionist politicians to play the homophobic card when their hero William of Orange had male lovers."

Speaking of the comments made by Iris Robinson that homosexuality was an abomination, he said: "Iris Robinson's remarks are part of a pattern of homophobia that seems to characterise sections of Northern Irish society.

"It is only a year ago that Ian Paisley Jnr made upsetting outbursts against gay people.Iris Robinson claims homosexuality is not natural, yet same-sexual relations are found in every animal species. That seems pretty natural to me. It is very disturbing the fact that senior Northern Irish politicians seem to think that the gay community is fair game."

Mr.Tatchell is to speak in Derry on Tuesday evening during the Feile 2008 celebrations as part of the 'Outsiders' talks at the Gasyard Centre.

This week he cited the allegations that King William - loyalism's iconic victor at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 - had sexual relationships with men.

Academics have raised the questions by pointing to his promotion of young men to high office as evidence of bisexuality.