For me, living in the closet corroded my ability to have an honest, open relationship with my God, my loved ones, my constituency and myself.

I do not believe that God tortures any person simply for its own sake. I believe that God enables all things to work for the greater good.

For me, living in the closet corroded my ability to have an honest, open relationship with my God, my loved ones, my constituency and myself.

I've never been much for self-revelation. In two decades of public life, I always approached the limelight with extreme caution. Not that I kept my personal life off-limits; rather, the personal life I put on display was a blend of fact and fiction.

No relief was forthcoming from my then-Catholic faith, which said the practice of homosexuality was a 'mortal sin' subject to damnation.

As a child, recognizing my difference from other kids, I went to the local public library to try to better understand my reality. Back then, many library card catalogues didn't even list 'homosexuality' as a topic.

Civil union is less than marriage. Marriage is a sacred and valued institution and ought to be afforded equal protection.