Pictured Lillty Tomlin
'When President Bush endorsed the Federal Marriage Amendment, he let me know he would understand if I wanted to put out a statement. For me, that would have been so inappropriate. I signed on to be a staffer; I didn't sign on to express my own point of view. ... I passionately disagree with President Bush on the issue of the Federal Marriage Amendment. But I also make it very clear [ in my new book ] that I had no doubt, even with that disagreement, that President Bush was the absolute best person to be leading us at this time in our country's history. It would be great to have the luxury of being a one-issue voter, but I didn't, and quite frankly, I don't think our country does.' — Mary Cheney, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, to People magazine, May 4.
'I have respect for anyone who is an activist on any issue, anyone who believes in an issue and wants to direct their time and energy toward that single issue, but that's not the path for me. I think my contribution comes from being just the best person I can be. And a big part of that is being open and honest about who I am.' — Mary Cheney, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, to People magazine, May 4.
' [ A ] t this moment in time, the past doesn't seem nearly as important as the future. And though the movement we support deserves credit for much of the acceptance she is receiving, Mary's presence on the national stage—the daughter of the vice president of the United States discussing issues related to our lives—is most welcome and has the potential to be a transforming moment for all Americans.' — Former Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch and former Recording Industry Association of America chief executive Hilary Rosen writing in The Washington Post, May 8.
'The trajectory of my particular soap opera [ with the press ] launched from that statement Elton [ John ] made about 18 months ago when Elton hadn't seen me for years. Elton said he thought I was really miserable for some reason. From that point on I've been trying to prove that I'm not. Unfortunately it made me incredibly vulnerable to the press. The subtext to it [ Elton's remark ] is, 'Well, he was all right before he came out and now he lives this depraved gay life and he's miserable and fat.'' — Singer George Michael speaking to Britain's ITV, April 22.
'She [ partner Urvashi Vaid ] always says the same thing after a show: 'It was too long and you need to put in more politics.' She says we're the marriage of comedy and tragedy. Never ask which one I am.' — Lesbian comedian Kate Clinton to the Dallas Voice, April 21.
'She'd done a thing on television called J.T. ... I saw it and it was wonderful. It was poetic and sensitive and satiric and tender and funny and so many things compressed into this one hour. And I thought, 'Oh, God, this is exactly what I want in a monologue.' So I wrote Jane and asked her to help me do the Edith Ann album. I didn't hear from her for a while. Then, suddenly, about a week before I was supposed to go in and record, she sent me a lot of material. I persuaded her to come to California and help me produce it. Frankly, I was pretty taken with her as soon as I saw her. We just sort of clicked. We became a couple right away.' — Lily Tomlin, on her partner of 35 years, Jane Wagner, to the D.C. gay publication MetroWeekly, April 27.
'In '77, I was on the cover of Time. The same week I had a big story in Newsweek. In one of the magazines it says I live alone, and the other magazine said I live with Jane Wagner. Unless you were so really adamantly out, and had made some declaration at some press conference, people back then didn't write about your relationship.' — Lily Tomlin to the D.C. gay publication MetroWeekly, April 27.
'Some historian should really look at all of the proposals that have been put forth throughout the history of our country for possible constitutional amendments. Maybe at some point in time there was one that was sillier than this one [ banning same-sex marriage ] , but I don't know of one. ... It is said that this is necessary to protect marriage. Whose marriage is this going to protect? How conceivably could it protect any marriage in the United States?' — Former U.S. Senator and U.N. Ambassador John Danforth, R-Mo., addressing the gay Log Cabin Republicans National Dinner in Washington, D.C., April 29.
