But the true feminist deals out of a lesbian consciousness whether or not she ever sleeps with women.

I became more courageous by doing the very things I needed to be courageous for-first, a little, and badly. Then, bit by bit, more and better. Being avidly-sometimes annoy-ingly-curious and persistent about discovering how others were doing what I wanted to do.

Hatred is a death wish for the hated, not a life wish for anything else.

The more I use my strength in the service of my vision the less I am afraid.

I stand here as a black lesbian feminist, having been invited to comment within the only panel at this conference where the input of black feminists and lesbians is represented. What this says about the vision of this conference is sad, in a country where racism, sexism and homophobia are inseparable. . . .

Unless one lives and loves in the trenches, it is difficult to remember that the war against dehumanization is ceaseless.

Without community, there is no liberation.