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Quote UnQuote

Compiled by Rex Wockner

Published Thursday, 27-Mar-2008 in issue 1057

“I think you can judge the level of success for any group of people by the reaction against it. And given the reaction of the so-called Christian Right – I would put that in quotes because I don’t believe they’re Christians at all – I would have to say that [gay] people have been wildly successful.”

Rubyfruit Jungle author Rita Mae Brown to Time Magazine, March 18.

“I don’t believe in straight or gay. I really don’t. I think we’re all degrees of bisexual. There may be a few people on the extreme if it’s a bell curve who really truly are gay or really truly are straight.”

Rubyfruit Jungle author Rita Mae Brown to Time magazine, March 18.

“We called it the Friday Night Special … a hard-core consensual sex orgy.”

Teddy Pedersen, 29, a former driver for now-gay former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, claiming he had three-way sex with McGreevey and his wife, Dina, multiple times from 1999 to 2001, to the New York Post, March 16.

“This happened, this happened in the past, and now we need to move on with our lives. For all of our sakes, particularly our daughter, we need to close this chapter and look toward the future. This was referenced in an earlier draft of my book, and I had it removed. I still hope Dina and I can resolve our issues privately.”

Jim McGreevey, confirming Pedersen’s story in a March 17 statement.

“Theodore Pedersen’s claims … are completely false and were prompted by Jim McGreevey. This all has to do with the publicity I have received since Gov. Spitzer resigned. Jim has enlisted one of his cronies in trying to distinguish that situation from his own, and to discredit me in the media. He cannot stand it when I am receiving attention in the media rather than him.”

Dina Matos McGreevey to ABC News, March 17.

“You journalists like to think that when we talk to you, that is our official coming out, but we have been out for ages before that. Brad and I support many nonprofits in Los Angeles and appear together on annual dinner programs as sponsors or various other events where we are listed together. Our names are carved in granite on the donor wall of East West Players; we have been out. You don’t have your names carved in granite and say you are not out.”

Actor George Takei, who played Sulu in the first “Star Trek” series, to the Florida gay magazine The Gazette, February issue.

“It was super complicated for me in the ‘80s. I was totally open with the band and my family and my friends and certainly the people I was sleeping with. I thought it was pretty obvious. … I’d just never felt strongly enough about a particular relationship to say, ‘Yeah, he’s my boyfriend, that is what it is.’ Now I recognize that for public figures to be very open about their sexuality helps some kid somewhere.”

R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe telling Spin magazine that he’s gay, March 18.

“Why should we try to maintain something that is actually impossible to maintain, which also causes little bother for others and, for a certain group, actually signifies much pleasure?”

Alderman Paul van Grieken of Amsterdam’s Oud-Zuid district discussing new regulations that will legalize having sex in cruisy Vondel Park if it is done after dark and out of view and if the parties don’t leave used condoms lying around, to De Telegraaf, March 7.