compiled by Howard Israel
"I saw so many pictures of naked men that I now have a condition called 'dick lash.' My eyes hurt from taking in so much male pulchritude. I swore when I went to the gym later that I wouldn't even glance at any of the glistening weight room boys. After a few hours of nothing but pictures of gorgeous, barely dressed, sometimes butt ass naked men, I have come to a conclusion. Gay men are to male photography like Mormons are to genealogy. If you are a man, straight or gay, that has ever had a naked or semi-naked photograph taken of you, or just a picture of your dick, or any sort of provocative picture at all, then the gays have it on a Web site. You exist somewhere in gay cyberspace."
– Lisa Brower, heterosexual humor writer, in her blog titled "Dick Lash: Damage to the neck caused by sudden, unexpected pictures of naked men," about her internet research for a gay blog site, http://www.mikealvear.com, June 16, 2009.
"As a student at Thornridge high school on the south side of Chicago, I never made enough of an impression to warrant mockery. It wasn't until later in life that I discovered I was gay, so I missed out on the taunting experienced by the gay character on Glee. I didn't know what 'gay' was in high school. We used the word 'queer' when someone was weird – when I finally heard what it really meant, my heart sank, and I thought, 'Oh God, that's me.' I barely think about being an openly gay actor in Hollywood. I think if I were an ingenue – if I were Kate Winslet – it probably would hurt my career, but because I'm Jane Lynch and I'm a character actor, the world isn't projecting their romantic fantasies on me."
– Jane Lynch, openly lesbian star of hit TV show "Glee," playing the "delicious" villain, Sue Sylvester the villain, in an interview, http://www.guardian.co.uk, Jan. 9.
"Homosexuals can forget about human rights."
– James Nsaba Buturo, Ugandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, in a frequently stated message, regarding the proposed Ungandan bill that would impose the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," including by those who are HIV positive, criminalize public discussion of homosexuality and could penalize an individual who knowingly rent property to a homosexual, http://www.nytimes.com, Jan. 5.
"I was born in the 1970s, before the law changed, when homosexuality was illegal in Portugal until 1982. So for anyone who remembers that time, this is an incredible victory. But it's not just our victory, it's a victory for all – opening up rights to everybody.
– Manel Mira, Lisbon native and volunteer for Portugal's branch of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, in an interview about Portugal's parliament approval of a measure to legalize gay marriage, http://www.sphere.com, Jan. 10.
"One by one, other states would fall into Satan's hands. Every child, when growing up, would fantasize marrying someone of the same sex. More children would become homosexuals. I dedicated the majority of my working hours between January 2008 and November 2008 toward qualifying Proposition 8 for the ballot and campaigning for its enactment. In the past I have received threats on my life, had my property vandalized and am recognized on the streets due to my association with Proposition 8. Now that the subject lawsuit is going to trial, I fear I will get more publicity, be more recognizable and that the risk of harm to me and my family will increase.
– Hak-Shing William Tam, outspoken gay marriage opponent in California and official litigant defending the state's ban on same-sex weddings, in a written statement to the judge in the lawsuit and trial scheduled to start, asking to be removed from the lawsuit because he fears retribution for his participation in the passage of Prop. 8, http://www.insidebayarea.com, Jan. 9.
"What is noteworthy about this appointment is not that a transgender person is serving this administration – many transgender people work for the federal government – the real story is that Amanda Simpson was selected based on her exemplary credentials and not because she is transgender. Countless transgender people are overlooked every day for jobs they can do very well. When an employer does not discriminate based on gender identity, they have access to more highly qualified people. That's what happened here."
– Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, in her blog titled "Look what happens when discrimination does not take place – qualified people get jobs," about the appointment of Amanda Simpson by the Obama Administration as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce, http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/, Jan. 4.
