"My parents, my family and my friends all love me and accept me for who I am, and even if the public are upset by this, I know the love of those people who mean the most to me will never change.I'm not going on a crusade, but I'm proud of who I am. I feel I have achieved everything I could ever possibly have hoped to achieve out of rugby, and I did it being gay. I want to send a positive message to other gay people that they can do it, too." — UK rugby legend Gareth Thomas in a Dec. 18 coming-out interview with the Daily Mail. Thomas plays for the Cardiff Blues.
"It's been really tough for me hiding who I really am, but I don't want it to be like that for the next young person who wants to play rugby, or some frightened young kid." — UK rugby legend Gareth Thomas in a Dec. 18 coming-out interview with the Daily Mail. Thomas plays for the Cardiff Blues.
"In 1993 I voted for a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodation, housing and employment. That was 16 years ago. We overbaked that statute, for a couple of reasons. If I had to do it over again I would have changed some things. That statute is not worded the way it should be. I said I regretted the vote later because it included things like cross-dressing, and a variety of other people involved in behaviors that weren't based on sexual orientation, just a preference for the way they dressed and behaved. So it was overly broad. So if you are a third-grade teacher and you are a man and you show up on Monday as Mr. Johnson and you show up on Tuesday as Mrs. Johnson, that is a little confusing to the kids. So I don't like that." — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to Newsweek, Dec. 21.
"She ( Sarah Palin ) is easily as qualified ( to be president ) as Barack Obama. I would argue she's more qualified in terms of leadership, experience, management and supervision—actually running something. She was a mayor, head of an energy commission and governor." — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to Newsweek, Dec. 21.
"Despite having a very well-funded and well-organized campaign ( in Maine ) , the main lesson in what we need to do differently is we need to figure out how we best counter the right wing's lies. Because they will lie about what will happen in schools, they will lie about how this will impact children and lie about what domestic partnership does and doesn't do." — Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors to The Atlantic, Nov. 6.
"I normally get up about 10 a.m., my PA will bring me a Starbucks, I'll have a look at my e-mails. At the moment I've got nothing that pressurized other than keeping an eye on the video they're making for the Christmas single. Then, if I'm in the mood, I'll come up to the office in Highgate, do some work, writing, backing tracks or whatever. Come home. Kenny will be here, the dogs are here. Maybe eat locally, hang out, and then probably go off and have a shag or have someone come here and have a shag ... that's probably a couple times a week." — Singer George Michael to Britain's The Guardian, Dec. 5.
"Elton ( John ) will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying: 'Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab.' It's not going to happen. You know what I heard last week? ... Geri ( Halliwell ) told Kenny that Bono, having spoken to Elton, had approached Geri to say, 'What can we do for George?' This is what I have to deal with because I don't want to be part of that social clique. All I'd have to do to stop it is hang out in London, so people realize I don't look close to death." — Singer George Michael to Britain's The Guardian, Dec. 5.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
