'Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay people are entitled to marry. ... To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others.' — The Connecticut Supreme Court in an Oct. 10 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Three states down, 47 to go.
'We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm. We also conclude that ( 1 ) our state scheme discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, ( 2 ) for the same reasons that classifications predicated on gender are considered quasi-suspect for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the United States constitution, sexual orientation constitutes a quasi-suspect classification for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the state constitution, and, therefore, our statutes discriminating against gay persons are subject to heightened or intermediate judicial scrutiny, and ( 3 ) the state has failed to provide sufficient justification for excluding same sex couples from the institution of marriage.' — The Connecticut Supreme Court in an Oct. 10 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. To read the full 85-page ruling, visit tinyurl.com/conndec.
'I don't have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being gay, but I do have a problem discussing my personal life. You don't get that part of me. Sorry. ... I don't feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don't care if people think I'm gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway.' — Singer and actress Queen Latifah to The New York Times, Oct. 3.
'Civil rights for gays can't come about without the help of Republicans. And this means that gay people—and straight supporters of gay equality—need to stand with, not silence, people like ( Manhunt.net cofounder Jonathan ) Crutchley who are working to change the GOP from within. Gays need only look to California, where a state Supreme Court loaded with Republican appointees legalized gay marriage and the Republican governor is one of the most powerful pro-gay publicly elected officials in the country, to understand the importance of making gay rights a bipartisan cause.' — New Republic assistant editor James Kirchick writing in the Los Angeles Times, Aug. 26.
'I am disappointed in the transgender community. They seem to think that if Nancy Pelosi and myself, George Miller and a few others waved a magic wand we could deliver it ( a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act ) . Look, this past year in the legislatures of Maryland, Massachusetts and New York, efforts to add transgender protections ... were defeated. And I testified for it in Massachusetts and lobbied for it. And as a political problem out there, I wish there weren't, but pretending that something doesn't exist is never a good way to deal with it. I am afraid that too many people in the transgender community think that talking to me and Nancy Pelosi is the way to do it. I don't yet see enough grassroots lobbying on their part.' — Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., to Towleroad.com, Aug. 26.
'Brokeback Mountain ... is the source of constant irritation in my private life. There are countless people out there who think the story is open range to explore their fantasies and to correct what they see as an unbearably disappointing story. They constantly send ghastly manuscripts and pornish rewrites of the story to me, expecting me to reply with praise and applause for 'fixing' the story. They certainly don't get the message that if you can't fix it you've got to stand it. Most of these 'fix-it' tales have the character Ennis finding a husky boyfriend and living happily ever after, or discovering the character Jack is not really dead after all, or having the two men's children meet and marry, etc., etc. ... Beneath every mangled rewrite is the unspoken assumption that because they are men they can write this story better than a woman can.' — Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx to The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 5.
'Politically, ( Sarah ) Palin is just terrifying me. When you see the polls, you realize these people may get in. It's very, very, very scary. She's a woman who is totally homophobic, totally against gay marriage. They will bring in a Supreme Court where you won't be able to get married. It's crazy.' — Comedian Joan Rivers to the San Diego gay magazine Rage Monthly, October issue.
'When civil partnerships became possible in the United Kingdom, it was very important for David and me to be able to do this on the first day it was possible. I really felt part of something genuinely progressive and groundbreaking, and we were also so totally overwhelmed and heartened by the positive support we received across the board from the press, my fans, the people of Great Britain and literally the world over!' — Elton John to Philadelphia Gay News, Oct. 13.
'I wanted to call it Fudge Packer.' — Elton John, on the Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road, to GQ magazine's Web site, Oct. 13.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
