If it were true that children mimicked their teachers, you'd sure have a helluva lot more nuns running around.

Coming out is the most political thing you can do

We don't want sympathetic liberals, we want gays to represent gays... I represent the gay street people-the 14-year-old runaway from San Antonio. We have to make up for hundreds of years of persecution. We have to give hope to that poor runaway kid from San Antonio. They go to the bars because churches are hostile. They need hope! They need a piece of the pie!

Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.

I would like to see every gay doctor come out, every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let that world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody would imagine. I urge them to do that, urge them to come out. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights.

It takes no compromise to give people their rights

Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight.