THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

"I'm beginning to realize that the emphasis, the publicity emphasis, will be on this 'bisexual thing' or this 'gay thing.' You know, my so-called mythic sexuality from the dark ages when dinosaurs roamed the earth! And I find that slightly unfortunate, because that's not what I think the book [ my memoir Natural Blonde ] is about. It's not about sex! All this crap about 'coming out'! Honey, I don't think I have ever really been in." — Syndicated gossip columnist Liz Smith to New York Magazine, Sept. 25.

"I never could make too much distinction between men and women. I really couldn't. I was always amazed at the depth of my own feelings. I don't even want to use the term bisexual. Because it seems weaselly. It's a weasel word! And I'm not gonna categorize myself. Because I might change my mind tomorrow. But I don't care if other people do. I've had a lot of sniping and gossip and rumor and damaging things said about me since I became a public person. That's the fate of public people." — Liz Smith.

"You know what the real surprise of [ my memoir ] is? That I come out as a heterosexual. Because as I get older, you know, I prefer men to women, I must say. It's a lot simpler." — Liz Smith.

"There are five classes of [ gay ] people [ in China ] . The lowest are those who have sex in the public toilets—you don't even have to know each others' names. The second-lowest are those who meet in the public parks, like People's Square. The third are those who meet at 'midnight restaurants'—now there are none around—and the second are those who meet in bars. The highest class are those in a hotel room or apartment who live off Hong Kongese, Taiwanese, etc. People always stay in their class, or sometimes go a class below." — Phill, "Shanghai's most visible gay," to Inside China Today Daily News, Sept. 22.

"Like any gay man in America in my generation I grew up in an environment that was not gay-accepting, never mind gay-friendly. Somewhere early I knew who I was. I was a good person and it was they [ the homophobes ] who were screwed up if they have a problem with me because of my sexual orientation. Shortly after coming to that conclusion pretty much nothing else mattered. I used my own insights for what was right for me and what was right period. I'm very comfortable with who I am." — Survivor winner Richard Hatch to Boston's Bay Windows, Sept. 21.

"My being gay has never been an obstacle in anything I've ever done. It's always been an asset." — Survivor winner Richard Hatch to The Advocate.

"Growing up gay in an environment where people were homophobic and bigoted actually got me to where I am, and I recognize that I am really great. I'd be missing the point if I were bitter."— Hatch.

"I anticipate this as an opportunity to find a compatible partnership. That's the only goal I'm pursuing with a lot of energy. I don't really have any other goal. But it's not something you can rush. If this experience and the exposure it brings help me, there's just more opportunity for that. And that's damn exciting." — Hatch.

"I favor legally recognized civic unions that have the legal protections [ of marriage ] . The [ immigration ] rights that are afforded an American who gets married to someone from another country should be afforded under a legally protected [ gay ] civic union in the same way." —Presidential candidate Al Gore speaking on MTV, Sept. 26.