Gay Today: Quote

Quotes & Quips

Compiled By Jack Nichols

What's in a Name?

…popular men's pet names for their manhood were Mr. Big, Mother Of All Missiles, Rambo, The Thunderstick, The General and Big Mac.

Women were more likely to use Thumper, Herbie, Pokey, or Mr. Winky.

Sunday People Magazine (United Kingdom)—"Why Size Matters to Big Heads"-- November 14

Historic Struggle Abandoned

Michael Warner sends a warning shot to the gay rights movement, which has cleaned up its image in order to blend in with the mainstream. By taking as its raison d'etre the fight for gay marriage, gay politics has abandoned its historic fight against the stigmatization of sex. But, as Warner shows, when gays agree to separate their "sex" from their "identity," they are only rewarded with oppressive trends like stricter zoning of gay clubs and businesses, the "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" policy in the military and, ironically, the "Defense of Marriage" act.

From The Publisher--(Free Press) of The Trouble With Normal: Sex, Politics and the Ethics of Queer Life by Michael Warner

Passing the Collection Plate for What?

Catholic Church officials are facing protests from gay Catholics and those who minister to them over the size of the church's contributions to a ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriages in California. Eight of the state's 12 Catholic dioceses have donated a total of $310,000 so far…

Margaret Ramirez—" Gay Catholics Protest Funding of Initiative"—Los Angeles Times, November 19

Colombian Courts to Decide

Two homosexual men lived as a couple for more than 5 years. After one passed away, the father and brothers of the deceased partner stripped his companion of their joint possessions; they took things into their own hands and claimed ownership of the couple's apartment and automobile without a judicial order, completing the transaction without the proper legal requirements.

Andres Duque—Translator of a Spanish language press release

Zimbabwe's Prez Fears a Gay Government

How can a country like Britain stoop so low and allow society to sink like that?

It is not a secret that Britain is now rotting and decadence of the society is the order of the day and as president of this country I cannot allow that to happen here as we are very opposed to a gay government.

Robert Mugabe-- President of Zimbabwe—quoted in The Independent (South Africa), November 20

Uganda's Foremost Challengers

Homosexuals are the ones provoking us. They are upsetting society. We shall not allow these people to challenge society.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni—to a Durban press conference, November 15

Transgendered God

You know for a fact there is a God, you've been in her presence

Ben Affleck—addressing Matt Damon in the film Dogma

A 'Compassionate Conservative' Has Limits

Since George W. Bush took office as Texas governor, 9,921 Texans have died of AIDS and 19,532 new cases have been diagnosed. Texas ranks fourth in the country -- behind only New York, California and Florida -- for reported AIDS cases.

In those 60 months, Bush has never said the word AIDS publicly in either a health, social or policy statement, according to leading AIDS organization leaders on a city, county and state level, reporters covering the governor's office, and gay community leaders.

Cliff Rothman-- "Why Won't George W. Bush Talk About AIDS?"—Salon, November 19

Who was in Charge Here?

Reading Dennis Shepard's statement after the plea agreement was announced, one has to wonder just who was prosecuting Mr. McKinney. Dennis Shepard asserts it was his decision, and that of his wife, to do everything: to have the trial, to accept the guilty plea of co-defendant Russell Henderson, to move forward with the McKinney trial, to go for the death penalty and then, finally, to accept the plea agreement. Who was the prosecutor here? Mr. Rerucha or the Shepards?

Editorial-- "McKinney agreement"-- Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, November 17

El Modena High School Under Fire

The First Amendment gives these kids the right to meet and express their individual viewpoints. Every day of delay is a day of rights denied. Unless the Gay-Straight Alliance is permitted to meet and is treated like all other non-curricular clubs, school officials will leave the students with no choice but to ask a court to secure their rights.

Carole Shields-- President of People For the American Way Foundation, referring to a legal threat by a non-curricular club against El Modena High School in Orange County, California.