Your life could be taken from you at any moment. Between AIDS and the violence against gay people that was so prevalent back then, you really didn't feel like you were living in the United States of America, in a first world country. You had a sense that life was a precious commodity you had to fight to keep.
Dale PeckI came out after safe sex was invented and I always practiced safe sex. Except for when I lost my virginity.
Dale PeckDon't come to New York until you've finished a book. It's too expensive. You'll never write anything. You'll spend all your time working to pay the rent.
Dale PeckWho cares what the state thinks about your relationship? They're giving you tax breaks and this and that - it's just nonsense. You want to live with somebody, then live with somebody. All that other stuff is just a way for the state monitoring and codifying certain activities and ostracizing others.
Dale Peck