Compiled by Tara Cavanaugh
S/he Said
"I'm scared. I'm talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for. It's about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You're taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away."
-Don Lemon, CNN news anchor, in an interview with The New York Times about coming out in his new book, "Transparent," http://www.nytimes.com, May 15.
"This is one of the last industries where the subject is off limits. Nobody's comfortable in engaging in a conversation."
-Rick Welts, president of the Phoenix Suns, ending his career silence about his sexuality and admitting he's gay in an interview with The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com, May 15.
"The Google Chrome/'It Gets Better' ad doesn't promote or discuss or campaign for homosexual sex. It acknowledges the existence of LGBT people and LGBT kids and gives those LGBT kids hope for their futures. Acknowledging the existence of LGBT people does not raise awareness of the specifics of gay sex any more than acknowledging the existence of heterosexuals raises awareness of the specifics of heterosexual sex."
-Dan Savage, firing back at FOX viewers who were upset to see an "It Gets Better" ad during American Idol last week, http://www.thestranger.com, May 17.
"It is understandable that supporters of Proposition 8 disagree with these conclusions, and that is what appeals are for. But it is nonsense to say that Judge Walker did anything wrong by hearing the case, which was randomly assigned to him, and by deciding the matter. Those who are attacking the decision by attacking Judge Walker should be ashamed."
-Erwin Chemerinsky, a legal scholar, writing in an op-ed titled "Vaughn Walker's sexuality irrelevant," advocate.com, April 26. Walker, now retired, recently admitted to being gay. Last year, Walker ruled that Proposition 8, the law in California that banned same-sex marriage, was unconstitutional, and now Prop 8 supporters want his decision thrown out.
