"The very first and most important sea change in this community started with the passage of Prop. 8. A whole Prop. 8 generation of people under 30 years old who were livid and couldn't understand how that could happen because they had never experienced anything like thatthey were radicalized. Then the Harvey Milk movie really inspired them. You can't underestimate the impact of that movie on these people. The third thing that happened was that the leadership of our national organizations didn't embrace them. The fourth thing that happened was they created it themselves. I think out of the ( National Equality ) march, four or five different organizations have been created. ... What's happening is, with the disappointment in Obama and the passage of Prop. 8 and ( of Question 1 in ) Maine, that we are making a transition slowly, but surely, which will change our institutions, which will change our movement." Veteran activist David Mixner to the Advocate, April 12.
"The weirdest thing about the latest Roman Catholic pedophilia scandal is that the church condemns healthy, loving gays as sinners who will face the flames of hell if they don't embrace Jesus, whereas a priest who routinely molests young boys is simply given some light therapy, then transferred to another parish! Pisses me off!" Village Voice columnist Michael Musto on his blog, March 13.
"I was 30 ( when I came out ) . I had a nervous breakdown; my parents disowned me for a while; I wasn't home; I lost all my businesspeople who I worked with for 20 years in politics. It was a brutal coming-out. It wasn't one of those, 'Oh, my God, what a pleasant surprise!' ( Then ) one day I was at a cocktail party and someone who I had helped become powerful politically was there. He didn't know I was behind him. And I heard him say, 'David Mixner is finished. He's washed up. He's a faggot.' And that's all it took. I got angry instead of being a victim and I said, 'I'll show you, you fucker.' And the one thing I knew was that a politician would sell their mother into slavery for money and so that's when we started the PAC ( Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles ) . And I was right." Veteran activist David Mixner to the Advocate, April 12.
"Last week's ( same-sex families ) hospital visitation directive ( from President Obama ) is a welcome, but small step. Long gone are the days when we will accept crumbs and politely smile as if we were served the entire meal. We are tired of waiting. We are tired of seeing our money and our support go to politicians who promise us everything yet give us only small token gestures in return. We will continue confronting our elected officials, including President Obama, with direct action demanding that they fulfill their campaign promises to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act." GetEQUAL.org activist Lt. Dan Choi in an April 18 press release.
"I'll tell you, this last election was a big learning experience for me and I've come to the very clear realization that the battle is not between Republican and Democratand yes, we disagree on many social issues and the government shouldn't legislate morality anyway. ... If we took a moment and just stopped fighting each other and looked aroundit doesn't matter if it's Republican or Democrat, there's entities, there are corporations that are making the rules in our society and in our country now. That's what needs to change. Obama still answers to those people, the same as George Bush did. We're silly if we think it's otherwise." Out rocker Melissa Etheridge to the Palm Springs gay magazine The BottomLine, March 26.
"Are they ( Human Rights Campaign ) helping our LGBT civil rights movement, or are they hurting it? Basically, if we are not yet fully equal citizens of America, does it make sense to have an organization surrounded by those who are so well off that being equal almost doesn't impact them?" YouTuber Sean Chapin, known for his gay-politics videos, in a March 30 Facebook posting.
"I cried. It knocked me on my ass, really. I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands." Martina Navratilova to People magazine April 7 on being diagnosed with breast cancer.
"If I hadn't been born a woman I would have certainly been gay because I love sparkles and ruffles and color." Skater Dorothy Hamill to Fox News, April 13. Dorothy needs to meet more gays.
Assistance: Bill Kelley