Elton John has called on Ukraine's business leaders to accept gays in the workplace, telling them that policies "designed to repress LGBT citizens ... hinder economic development."<br />John, who is gay and an outspoken activist, spoke to hundreds of business and political leaders at a high-profile forum in Kiev.<br />The singer pointed to studies showing that emerging economies which protect LGBT rights have a higher gross domestic product per capita.<br />The British singer and composer played two outdoor concerts in Kiev in 2007 and 2012 to raise awareness for Ukraine's AIDS epidemic, which is the worst in Europe.
