" ( Barack Obama ) is just another in a long line of presidents who have dumped all over us. He is not honoring his campaign commitments. I really think he hates gay people and we are not dealing with this in an effective way. It's nice that he wants to protect our right to hospital visitation but it's no big deal. We are too passive and too invisible and too unwilling to demand our equality." Veteran activist Larry Kramer to South Florida Gay News, May 2.
"Far too many of the gay 'leaders' publicly defending the Obama administration's lackluster record on gay civil rights either run lobbying firms with interests before the administration, or are looking for administration jobs. It's readily transparent, it's the same people every time. They are defending the administration for their own personal gain, at the expense of your civil rights." AMERICAblog's John Aravosis, April 24.
"It was the first time I've done something like that by myself. ... I was close enough to see Obama's face. I worked so hard on his campaign and I still believe in him and I support him and I wish I didn't have to have that exchange with him and I saw the anger on his face when I started speaking, but I'm angry too, and I can't be silent." GetEQUAL co-chair Kip Williams to this column May 25 after he was arrested for yelling at President Obama about Don't Ask, Don't Tell at a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in San Francisco.
"I would say, from his position of power, as an openly gay man, who is serving his community well ... he may no longer be able to identify with those suffering with fear of job loss or other problems because of their identity." GetEQUAL co-founder Robin McGehee in reference to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank after Frank criticized GetEQUAL's direct-action tactics in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to Metro Weekly, April 22.
"We've heard all we can stand to hear from leaders in Congress. They promised a vote this calendar year and we expect them to honor their word. As the window continues to slowly close on available legislative calendar dates to vote on ENDA ( Employment Non-Discrimination Act ) in the House and in the Senate, we will continue to hold Speaker ( Nancy ) Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader ( Harry ) Reid accountable for the direct promise they made to the LGBT community. Our community has done the work to lobby and educate members of Congress on the need for a fully inclusive ENDA and now is the time to stop the talking and start the voting." GetEQUAL co-chair Robin McGehee in a May 19 statement.
"I don't even know that there's a word to describe the level of fatigue and outrage watching some of our purported community leaders being jerked around, co-opted, demeaned, diluted and diminished by the largest LGBT organization, HRC ( Human Rights Campaign ) , that sucks the air and dollars out of the room without conscience, jerking the LGBT community around like a puppet on a string with promises it cannot deliver on. Maybe words don't matter in the rarefied bubble of power politics, I can tell you that that sh*t won't go unchallenged any more." Popular blogger Pam Spaulding ( Pam's House Blend ) in an April 24 post.
"There's the assumption among gay people that if only this famous person came out, things would be betterand that's never been the case. The most significant effort any of us can make in moving the ball forward in terms of promoting awareness and acceptance of this issue is for those of us who are gay to come out to those closest to us. It isn't ultimately the celebrity that changes people's minds, or the politician. It's the individual, one on one." Gay author Eric Marcus to The New York Times, May 21.
"A new phase in the gay rights movementthe serious civil disobedience erahas arrived. It's time. ... We have to make ignoring our demands and breaking their promiseson DADT, ENDA, DOMAmore trouble for our 'friends' in the Democratic party and the White House than making good on their promises ever could be." Gay writer Dan Savage, on his blog, April 20.
"When it's one of their own ( coming out ) , I think it forces people to take it a little more seriously. In that way, ( country music star ) Chely Wright has the promise of being far more impactful in coming out in red states where people couldn't give two hoots about Ellen DeGeneres." Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation President Jarrett Barrios to The New York Times, May 21.
"I ... stubbornly go about my life the way I always did, and sometimes it's not the smartest thing to do. I'm in places people wouldn't expect to see me, like on the subway or in line at the post office. So they just sort of feel like I look like that person, but I'm probably not that person. I was standing on line making a deposit at the bank recently, and the teller was looking at me, and looking at my name, and she said, 'You know you have the same name as that woman on Sex and the City?'" Openly lesbian Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon ( Miranda ) to The Advocate, June issue.
"There have been gay actors playing straight characters ... as long as there has been Hollywood. I don't feel like actors should have to pretend that they are something they are not in order to be believable." Openly gay Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon ( Miranda ) to Reuters, May 26.
Assistance: Bill Kelley