“I think after time goes by and you earn certain rights or you break through certain barriers, you could sometimes, maybe, take it for granted what you have now that you didn't have before. And then that would lead to a certain lack of community, in a way, caring in a way, that I saw before [in gay society].” ThinkingWaySometimesCertainCommunityBreakSawsRightsGayCaringGrantedBarriersBreak ThroughTime Goes By Author:Madonna Ciccone
“Are you kidding me? It's insane that civil rights are being denied people in this day and age. It's embarrassing, and it's heartbreaking. It goes without saying that I'm completely in support of gay marriage. In 10 years we'll be ashamed that this was an issue.” PeopleYearsAgeSupportIssuesRightsGayInsaneCivil RightsAshamedThis DayDeniedEmbarrassingGay MarriageHeartbreakingGay Rights Author:Chris Evans
“If gay Americans are not allowed to get married and have all the benefits that American citizens are entitled to by the Bill of Rights, they should get one hell of a tax break. That is my opinion.” IfsShouldOpinionBreakHellRightsCitizensGayTaxesBenefitsMarriedBillsEntitledGay MarriageAmerican CitizensBill Of RightsTax Breaks Author:Jeanne Phillips
“Yeah, I know I should be fighting for gay rights, but who wants to join the army or get married anyway?” KnowsWantShouldFightingRightsGayMarriedArmyYeahGay RightsJoining The Army Author:John Waters
“I said those things about gay rights and abortion on opposite day. I cannot BELIEVE you don't have opposite day in North Carolina!” BelieveSaidRightsGayOppositesAbortionGay RightsCarolinaNorth Carolina Author:Mitt Romney
“The computer is a greater threat to the [nuclear] family than all the abortion laws and gay rights movements and pornography in the world.” WorldLawGreaterRightsMovementGayComputerThreatNuclearAbortionPornographyGay RightsNuclear FamiliesAbortion Laws Author:Alvin Toffler
“I can assure you that gay people getting married will have zero effect on your life. They won't come into your house and steal your children. They won't magically turn you into a lustful cockmonster. They won't even overthrow the government in an orgy of hedonistic debauchery because all of a sudden they have the same legal rights as the other 90 percent of our population ... you know what having these rights will make gays? Full-fledged American citizens just like everyone else, with the freedom to pursue happiness and all that entails.” PeopleKnowsChildrenI CanGovernmentTurnsHouseRightsEffectsCitizensGayMarriedPercentOur ChildrenPopulationStealingPursueYour ChildrenZeroGay PeopleGetting MarriedAmerican CitizensLustfulDebaucheryHedonisticLegal Rights Author:Chris Kluwe
“Because gay people were so much more visible, violence against gays was more common and reported on. But they were definitely related to each other. In the wake of AIDS, gay people felt like they had to organize, become much more active and visible. AIDS fostered a gay rights movement that made gay people more powerful and more vulnerable at the same time.” PeopleMadeFeltPowerfulCommonRightsViolenceMovementGayActiveAidsVulnerableRelatedVisibleOrganizeGay RightsGay People Author:Dale Peck
“I think it's kind of awkward when everyone knows you're gay but you don't say it. I had been thinking about coming out for almost a year before I did. I thought about it seriously on the plane ride home from the World Cup, while I was casually talking to my friend Lori Lindsey. She said, "Dude, you should just come out." She was right. Everyone in my life already knew. If you want to stand up and fight for equal rights but then won't even stand up for yourself and say "I'm gay" - that just started to feel weird.” IfsThinkingKnowsWorldWantFeelsShouldYearsKindSaidHomeFightingTalkingRightsGayEqualMy FriendsCupsPlanesComing OutAwkwardEqual RightsWorld CupStand Up For YourselfPlane Rides Author:Megan Rapinoe
“If a woman or a gay person has a right, by conservative logic, then the right is not actually a right but instead an assault on rights. Women and gays: So evil that we can turn actual rights into assaults on freedom just by having them.” IfsPersonsTurnsEvilRightsGayLogicConservativeAssault Author:Amanda Marcotte
“I have the liberal dictionary right here...let's see how they define water-boarding: 'Something done by the evil troops, who we don't support, to innocent terrorists violating their rights to bomb our cities and make us get gay marriage.'” DoneEvilWaterCitiesSupportRightsGayTerroristInnocentBombsTroopsGay MarriageDictionary Author:Jon Stewart
“I haven't been a gay activist. I haven't protested for gay rights or none of that, but one thing I can say is that a lot of the designers I wear are gay and I like their clothes.” I CanRightsOne ThingHavensGayClothesDesignerActivistGay Rights Author:ASAP Rocky
“You talk about the Pro-Life movement being one of the great shames of our nation. I think, if you want number two, I think - I think it's that. I think it's absolute - it's a travesty that people have forced someone who is gay to make their case that they deserve the same basic rights.” PeopleIfsThinkingWantTwoNationsNumbersCasesRightsMovementGayDeserveAbsolutesShamePro LifeBasic RightsTravesty Author:Jon Stewart
“I have gay friends, I support gay rights, I have nothing against the gay community, but when I see two guys kissing, I think it's gross. And, by the way, it's gross when 99% of straight people do it, too.” PeopleThinkingWayTwoGuyCommunitySupportRightsGayKissingGrossGay RightsTwo GuysGay CommunityGay Friend Author:Artie Lange
“Putting measures like gay marriage on ballots for elections only hurts the gay rights cause and elects more conservative politicians.” CausesHurtRightsPoliticianGayElectionConservativeGay MarriageGay RightsBallots Author:Roseanne Barr
“When I kissed a girl, nobody was around. So I didn't do it for anybody. I'm not a lesbian. I encourage anybody to try anything, just make sure you have integrity and character. It doesn't matter who anyone loves. I am for gay rights and I also have a boyfriend.” TryingMatterCharacterGirlRightsIntegrityGayOne LoveGay RightsIntegrity And Character Author:Katy Perry
“I am a fierce supporter of Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and gay rights in this country.” CountryRightsGayParenthoodFierceSupporterGay RightsPlanned Parenthood Author:Bernie Sanders
“I'm a progressive. What I find is that a subsection within the left that instead of standing for consistency in progressive values, so feminism as applied to mainstream society, as well as within minority communities, gay rights to mainstream society as well as within minority communities.” WellsValuesLeftCommunityRightsFeminismGayStandingMinoritiesProgressiveMainstreamConsistencyGay RightsMainstream Society Author:Maajid Nawaz
“You have to take your hat off to the homosexual and gay community cause right now they're as strong as black people USE to be when it comes to their rights.” PeopleUseStrongCausesBlackCommunityRightsRight NowGayHatsBlack PeopleHomosexualGay CommunityHats OffUse To Be Author:Tyrese Gibson
“I think there are profound differences between the civil rights struggle for African Americans and the civil rights struggle for gay Americans.” ThinkingDifferencesStruggleRightsGayProfoundCivil RightsAfrican American Author:Christopher Rice
“Coming up, at 89 years old, acclaimed sculptor Gerson Frank was finally able to marry his longtime partner, Bill. Their relationship has covered three decades and seen many changes in gay rights, but Gerson never viewed himself as an activist.” YearsAbleThreeRightsGayBillsDecadesPartnersActivistCoveredFrankGay RightsSculptors Author:Jennifer Lopez
“Obviously I'm in favor of protecting the rights of everybody: gay, black, women, what have you, American Indians.” BlackRightsGayFavorsBlack WomenAmerican Indian Author:Gore Vidal
“I was in the recording studio when Pink was recording for a part of the gay rights anthem. It was just amazing to watch her perform. She's just such an incredible singer. She so funny, and so smart, yet she's doing it for this silly, silly song.” SongWatchesRightsGaySmartIncrediblesStudiosSingersSillyGay RightsAnthemRecording Studio Author:Judd Apatow
“I've always been progressive on social issues: pro-choice, pro-gun control, and pro-gay rights - even when I was a Republican. The big difference is that I once believed the private sector would address America's social problems. But then I saw firsthand that this wasn't going to happen.” ProblemBigsHappensAmericaChoicesSocialDifferencesIssuesSawsRightsRepublicanGayGunAddressesProgressiveGun ControlSocial IssuesPrivate SectorGay RightsSocial ProblemsPro GunPro Gun ControlPro Gay Author:Arianna Huffington
“First of all, [St. Stephen's] is a radical church. It was one of the first DC churches to have gay ceremonies. A woman said mass there, which almost got a priest excommunicated there; Black Panthers spoke at the church; it was a sanctuary for civil rights protesters and anti-war protesters.” FirstsSaidWarBlackChurchRightsGayMassCivil RightsRadicalSpokesPriestsAnti WarCeremonySanctuaryPanthersBlack Panther Author:Ian MacKaye
“We have the history of slavery or inequality to women, and now the civil rights movement of the 21st century is the struggle for equality for the gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. And I think it's important for Americans to know about the times that we failed.” PeopleThinkingKnowsImportantStruggleRightsCenturyMovementGaySlaveryCivil RightsInequality21st CenturyTransgenderCivil Rights Movement Author:George Takei
“Back in the eighties, people thought a vegan was someone from Vegas. It's a different world now and I feel lucky to have been a part of the revolution, both for animal rights and gay rights.” PeopleWorldFeelsHas BeensDifferentAnimalRightsRevolutionGayLuckyVeganAnimal RightsEightyVegasGay RightsDifferent Worlds Author:Dan Mathews
“Although Christianity has a poor record on animals (as it does, it must be said, on the treatment of slaves, women, children, and gays), it is also the case that Christian theology, when creatively and critically handled, can provide a strong basis for animal rights.” ChildrenDoeSaidChristianStrongAnimalPoorChristianityCasesRecordsRightsGayBasesSlaveTheologyTreatmentAnimal RightsChristian Theology Author:Andrew Linzey
“The fact that gay marriage is legal but women don't have equal rights is so redonkulous that I think it just doesn't stand the light of day.” ThinkingFactsLightRightsGayEqualEqual RightsGay Marriage Author:Kamala Lopez
“I would ask Donald Trump why every single person in his cabinet has spoken out publicly - and his vice president - against gay rights, and he's never said anything about that.” PersonsSaidAsksPresidentRightsTrumpGayVicesCabinetsGay RightsVice PresidentSingle Person Author:Andy Cohen
“I think worldwide, the movement has been towards accepting and respecting the individuality and the rights of gay people, lesbians and transgender people. Here, however, age-old cultural mindsets - which also comes from Victorian times, affect the thinking of people.” PeopleThinkingHas BeensAgeAcceptingRightsMovementGayIndividualityMindsetTransgenderGay PeopleVictorianVictorian Times Author:Kabir Bedi
“The only time there's gonna be a transgender bathroom in the White House is during a gay rights ceremony. You know as well as I do that that's not going to happen.” KnowsWellsHappensHouseWhiteRightsGayWhite HouseBathroomCeremonyOnly TimeTransgenderGay Rights Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Where was the libertarian right during the great struggles for individual liberty in America in the last half-century? The libertarian movement has been conspicuously absent from the campaigns for civil rights for nonwhites, women, gays and lesbians.” Has BeensLastsAmericaIndividualHalfLibertyStruggleRightsCenturyMovementGayLibertarianCampaignsCivil RightsAbsentIndividual Liberty Author:Michael Lind
“Jewish voters care. They want someone who's good on Israel and who's good on Jewish issues. But they also want somebody who's going to be pro-choice and pro-gun control and pro-gay rights. To the vast majority of the Jewish community, just being good on Israel or on Jewish issues is not enough.” WantEnoughCareChoicesCommunityIssuesRightsGayGunMajorityIsraelBe GoodVotersJust BeingGun ControlGay RightsPro GunJewish CommunityPro Gun ControlPro Gay Author:Charles Schumer
“You have to join every other movement for the freedom of people. Therefore join the movement as individuals against anti-Semitism, join the movements for the rights of Hispanics, the rights of women, the rights of gays. In other words, I think that each movement has to stand on its own feet because it has a particular agenda, but it can ask other people.” PeopleThinkingAsksIndividualRightsFeetMovementParticularGayAgendasAnti Semitism Author:Bayard Rustin
“If we want to do away with the injustice to gays it will not be done because we get rid of the injustice to gays. It will be done because we are forwarding the effort for the elimination of injustice to all. And we will win the rights for gays, or blacks, or Hispanics, or women within the context of whether we are fighting for all.” IfsWantDoneFightingWinningEffortRightsGayInjusticeEliminationWe Will Win Author:Bayard Rustin
“If you listen to the debate, [Barack Obama] and [John] McCain said the same thing about gay rights.” IfsSaidRightsGayDebateBarackGay RightsMccain Author:Bill Ayers
“[John] McCain seemed to be winking to the Right, and [Barack] Obama seemed to be winking to the Left. Neither one of them - if McCain had been elected we'd still be where we are on gay rights.” IfsStillsLeftRightsGayBarackGay RightsMccainWinking Author:Bill Ayers
“Even there, [Barack] Obama's generals, his Pentagon, they're telling him what to do. And the force for gay rights is inevitable. And you can say Obama will help us, and maybe he will, but only if we have something on the ground that will make him help us. Frankly, the gay movement on the ground has been one of the great propulsive things that has made politicians do what they do.” IfsHas BeensMadeHelpingForceRightsMovementPoliticianGayBarackInevitableGay RightsPentagon Author:Bill Ayers
“If we [gays] want to be equal under the law, we must now - as the great heroes of the Civil Rights movement of 1963 and 1964 showed us - turn our attention to the federal government.” IfsWantGovernmentLawTurnsAttentionRightsMovementHeroGayEqualCivil RightsFederal GovernmentCivil Rights MovementGreat Hero Author:Cleve Jones
“I go back to the parallels with 1963, 1964 when white America really became aware of the brutality of segregation, the cruelty of the apartheid system which existed in the south. Then white people began to get on the freedom buses and travel to the south and be part of the voter registration drives and they... some of them were beaten and some of them were murdered but they stood with the African-American community and the civil rights movement. It's time for straight people to do that today and it is time for gay people to insist that they do that today.” PeopleTodayAmericaCommunityWhiteRightsMovementGaySouthCrueltyCivil RightsAfrican AmericanVotersBusBeatenSegregationParallelsBrutalityCivil Rights MovementGay PeopleApartheidRegistrationVoter Registration Author:Cleve Jones
“In America there are people advocating for trans rights and people like Vice President Pence, who is vehemently opposed. In Pakistan, too, you have all kinds of folks - from flamboyant gay fashion designers and female Air Force pilots to the Taliban. A cross-dressed man used to be the top TV talk show host. It was actually quite radical. So the diversity of these societies is often lost on people.” PeopleMenKindShowsAmericaUsedLostForcePresidentRightsAirFashionTvsGayDiversityFemaleCrossesFolksVicesAll KindsUsed To BeRadicalDesignerHostPilotsPakistanTransTalibanVice PresidentAdvocatingFashion DesignerAir ForceTalk ShowsFlamboyant Author:Mohsin Hamid
“There are a lot of people that form movements around particular commitments, like gay rights. It is important, but it does not link easily to, say, economic rights, and it often looks like it's opposed to them. The attempt to bring these together has yet to be done in a truly effective way, and I think it can be.” PeopleThinkingWayLooksDoeImportantDoneTogetherFormRightsEconomicMovementParticularGayCommitmentLinksGay Rights Author:Noam Chomsky
“People are killed because they're gay. I don't think, "What do I want to do today? I want to speak up on gay rights." No. It's God catching me by my neck. I wish I could keep quiet about the plight of the Palestinians. I can't!” PeopleThinkingWantI CanTodaySpeakWishRightsGayQuietNecksPalestinianCatchingGay RightsPlight Author:Desmond Tutu
“It's just in Washington we're talking about equal rights for gay people, civil liberty to smoke marijuana, taking care of the environment, and it's all just decency and common sense and patriotism. And in other parts of the country that would be, like, inconceivable.” PeopleCountryWould BeCareCommonTalkingLibertyEnvironmentRightsGayEqualCommon SenseSmokeMarijuanaDecencyEqual RightsCivil LibertiesGay People Author:Rick Steves
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” WisdomPeaceCommunityJusticeFreedomStruggleRightsSocietyDangerKingsGaySocial JusticeThreatInjusticeHuman RightsEqualityCivil RightsIslamicJailBentEqual RightsMenacePeace And JusticeCriminal JusticeI Had A DreamBeing At PeacePeace JusticeRacial JusticeEquality And JusticeInternational PeaceBirminghamLiberty And JusticeMass IncarcerationSocial InjusticeTruth And JusticeLaw And JusticeI Have A Dream SpeechKings SpeechJustice For AllKings And LoveGood KingsSocial EqualityCivil Right MovementJustice And MercyJustice And InjusticeSocial ActionAfrican American InspirationalAmerican JusticeEqual JusticeLegal RightsHuman EqualityAfrican American Civil RightsJustice EqualityJustice TruthBeloved CommunityInterrelatednessInjustice AnywhereRights In AmericaJustice Denied Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I'm an activist for gay marriage equality and children's rights. I'm the face of Share Our Strength.” ChildrenFacesRightsShareGayActivistGay MarriageMarriage Equality Author:Sandra Lee
“I go all around London advocating lesbian and gay rights.” RightsGayLondonGay RightsAdvocating Author:Ken Livingstone
“The arc of American history almost inevitably moves toward freedom. Whether it's Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, the expansion of women's rights or, now, gay rights, I think there is an almost-inevitable march toward greater civil liberties.” ThinkingMovingLibertyGreaterRightsGayInevitableMarchAmerican HistoryWomens RightsExpansionEmancipationGay RightsCivil LibertiesArcsProclamationEmancipation Proclamation Author:James McGreevey
“If a person is homosexual by nature - that is, if one's sexuality is as intrinsic a part of one's identity as gender or skin color - then society can no more deny a gay person access to the secular rights and religious sacraments because of his homosexuality than it can reinstate Jim Crow.” IfsPersonsReligiousRightsIdentityColorGaySkinsDenyGenderSexualityAccessSecularHomosexualityHomosexualSacramentsCrowJim CrowSkin Color Author:Jon Meacham