“As gay men grow more comfortable shrugging off gay-identified clothing and Schwarzeneggerian fitness standards, straight men are more at ease flaunting a degree of muscle tone seldom seen outside of a Men’s Health cover shoot. And they are adopting looks – muscle shirts, fitted jeans, sandals and shoulder bags – that as recently as a year ago might have read as, well, gay. The result is a new gray area that is rendering gaydar – that totally unscientific sixth sense that many people rely on to tell if a man is gay or straight – as outmoded as Windows 2000.”

“Gay pride day. The marches, the speeches, the party atmosphere – it is such a welcome break from the grim things being said about gays and lesbians, from the dopey laws and stupid opinions and deeply held misconceptions. I remind everyone, in this hour of darkness, that 50 years ago, there was no such thing as gay pride day. There was no such thing as gays and lesbians and transsexuals and bisexuals and, yes, heterosexuals gathering together to affirm the humanity of people with sexual orientations different from that of the majority. Fifty years ago, almost all gay men and women were closeted, and often they felt guilty and depressed and suicidal. Often they felt entirely alone. They no longer feel alone. They never will again.”