"The recent community fight over the introduction of an ... ENDA that removed protections based on gender identity is perhaps the definitive recent example of how gender and sexism still divide even we who should be allies."
—National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell.
'I had done his show many, many times and considered him a friend of mine. And all of a sudden, a whole new brand of humor started to be displayed by him. And he was in that humor questioning my masculinity [ implying I was gay ] . I called his agents, I called his manager, I called his attorney, I went through probably a year and a half of trying to reach him and, when none of that worked, I went to see him. I went to NBC Burbank and walked down the halls into his office, and Freddy de Cordova, his producer, was in the office with him, and I walked in, unannounced, and I said to Freddy, I said, 'Would you excuse us, please?' He was so shocked that he did get up and leave. And I said to Mr. Carson, I said, 'I don't know what friend of yours I've killed, I don't know what child of yours I've hurt, I don't know what food I've taken out of your mouth, but these jokes about me will stop and they'll stop now or I will kick your ass.' He started to mumble and I think he said something like, 'Wayne, I'm your biggest fan.' I said: 'Don't give me that crap, don't give me that. I am here to straighten out whatever your problem is and whichever way you want to straighten out is fine with me. ... Johnny Carson was a mean-spirited human being. There are people that he has hurt that people will never know about. And for some reason at some point he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me.' — Singer Wayne Newton to CNN, Nov. 29.
'As president, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples—whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union or a civil marriage. ... I support the full and unqualified repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.' — Presidential candidate Barack Obama in a column published in the Chicago gay newspaper Windy City Times, Nov. 14.
'Growing up Mormon in Utah, it was a close contest between who was actually devil spawn—feminists or lesbians ( or if you're Pat Robertson, there is no distinction ) . In college, when I came to the realization that I could no longer be an active Mormon, the reason was not that I liked girls, it was because I could no longer be a part of an institution that I believed devalued women and elevated patriarchy. Now, I know that feminism as a word and as a movement is so 1970s, but the lessons of feminism and the ongoing struggle to comprehend and dismantle sexism is so here and now. ... The recent community fight over the introduction of an Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( ENDA ) that removed protections based on gender identity is perhaps the definitive recent example of how gender and sexism still divide even we who should be allies.' — National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell in a Nov. 26 blog post.
'Everyone gay knows a gay Scrooge. Mean queens haunt our periphery, constantly threatening to infect us with the pain of their past. Will we let them? Have they already? We must watch for the signs.' — Columnist Jesse Archer, Out magazine, December issue.
'I live in a society where, when I'm invited as guest of honor, I'm not asked if I want to bring my partner. At dinner parties, you feel half the people round the table hate gays. Wherever you go, you know people are talking about you—it would be so different if I were to turn up with a big, strapping husband. But I figure that, if I'm honest about it, perhaps society will change.' — Crime novelist Patricia Cornwell to London's Telegraph newspaper, Nov. 26. Cornwell married Staci Gruber, a psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School, in February 2005.
'There should be gay marriage. I believe if two people want to commit to each other, God bless 'em. That is the highest form of commitment, for heaven's sake. ... If gay Americans are not allowed to get married and have all the benefits that American citizens are entitled to by the Bill of Rights, they should get one hell of a tax break. That is my opinion.' — Jeanne Phillips, aka Abigail Van Buren, author of the Dear Abby column that appears in 1,400 newspapers, to the Associated Press, Oct. 9.
'I don't know what to say about the gay community with any real authority as I'm not part of it. It is something that is a little separate to my own experience, you know. This is the thing that I find funny: Why does your sexual orientation have to be predominant? It is like saying I'm really good friends with a black person, or that woman is a good friend of mine. If you're gay, it doesn't make any difference. I look at you as a whole person.' — Singer Annie Lennox to QVegas magazine, November issue.
' [ I stay in shape ] just by walking. New York is the right city for that. I'm not about gym culture. I'd rather be sitting in a bar.' — Queer Eye food guy Ted Allen to Instinct magazine, November issue.
'Our pussies do not smell like fish. How would you even know?' — Actress Kathy Griffin to Out magazine, December issue.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
