"It's ( GetEQUAL's success ) beyond my wildest dreams. ... There's so much frustration out there; it's not just me feeling it. Now I feel like our frustration is being materialized and people are saying, 'We can do something about this.' The actions have been over and beyond what I was expecting." — Robin McGehee, co-founder of the new LGBT civil-disobedience group GetEQUAL, to this column, April 27.
"All of the ( LGBT ) groups that are specifically in the Beltway have gotten used to access and power and they've forgotten the young kid in Mississippi who thinks daily about slitting their wrists or is being beaten up daily ... Our national organizations are much like the DNC in my opinion. It's more about an organization and fitting into what the organization's leadership wants and less about serving the people." — Robin McGehee, co-founder of the new LGBT civil-disobedience group GetEQUAL, to this column, April 27.
" ( Human Rights Campaign President Joe ) Solmonese ... and his organization often sound out of touch with the average LGBT person. There is a palpable and growing anger with President Obama and the Democrats in Congress and HRC would be wise to recognize it and respond appropriately. Solmonese, for example, should have apologized for the ( Kathy ) Griffin rally—it was a sorry exercise in star-fuckery that had no place in the serious debate over Don't Ask, Don't Tell." — Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff in an April 23 commentary.
"I want to send a warm greeting to all our Latin American friends who live in the state of Arizona. The SB 1070 is a law that doesn't make sense. You are not alone. We are with you. Stop discrimination. Stop hate. Stop racism. Enough already. Long live love. Long live peace." — Openly gay singer Ricky Martin at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, April 29 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The new, widely criticized Arizona law requires police to check an individual's immigration status whenever an officer suspects an individual may be in the U.S. illegally.
"We in the LGBT community know what it's like to be the target of discrimination, and we have to stand firmly in support of other groups that are also impacted by discrimination. I think that's the only way all of us collectively are going to have full rights and full equality, if we make a point of standing together when one group is targeted." — Gay San Francisco Supervisor David Campos urging LGBTs to actively oppose Arizona's "horrendous" new "Papers, please" law targeting primarily Mexican residents, to the Bay Area Reporter, April 29.
"Since ( Ellen ) DeGeneres replaced Paula Abdul as a judge on American Idol in February, millions upon millions of viewers are getting a double dose of the hugely popular talk show host and 12-time Emmy winner. The American Express and Covergirl pitchwoman's reach is nearly unparalleled. ... A passionate advocate for marriage equality, an avid opponent of 'don't ask, don't tell,' and staunch defender of animal rights, DeGeneres's enormous platform is many an American's gain." — Out magazine April 15 naming Ellen DeGeneres the most influential gay man or lesbian in America, in the publication's annual "Power 50" list.
"In the good old days, gays would have wild, wanton sex upon first meeting and if the connection grew into some kind of relationship, that was probably OK. But new school gays ( excluding the Manhunt ones ) want to get to know each other first and then get sexual. They want to be like straight people, who for years wined and dined each other and actually conversed in depth before sexplay became a huge factor. Today's gays actually date! But ironically, now that the gays have caught up with the getting-to-know-you routine, the straights want to be like old-school gays and have sex first!" — Village Voice columnist Michael Musto on his blog, April 28.
"I was an extremely closeted actress for the first few years of my career. In fact, when I was on Ally McBeal, I wouldn't even drive down Santa Monica Boulevard because I was scared people would see me through the car window and wonder what I was doing in the gay part of town." — Portia de Rossi, Ellen's wife, at the Human Rights Campaign's Los Angeles Hero Awards Dinner, March 14, as transcribed by lgbtpov.com .
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
