QUEERTY EXCLUSIVE— What a week it’s been! With Iowa and Vermont rolling the gay marriage train out of the station, we asked some of our favorite celebs what their opinions are on gay marriage. Sure, sure, they’re not exactly experts, but as public personalities, Hollywood’s finest set a great example, not just for the industry, but for the country.
“I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say ‘gay marriage’ on the floor of the senate. He wasn’t saying nice things, but he said it! I never thought in my lifetime I’d hear that. I just think we’re moving now at warp speed. Even when we take a step back like with prop 8, we take two steps forward.” –- Cherry Jones, currently playing the President on 24
“I think a lot of people will realize what they’re doing is wrong. I think if people honestly ask themselves and don’t try to hide behind religion about what they really do believe and does it really affect them – no it doesn’t. I think as Obama says, ‘The right side of history will show itself.’” –- Van Hansis who plays gay on As The World Turns
“One of the most necessary part of gays and lesbians being accepted is making sure that in the media they’re portrayed in a necessary light… [The GLAAD awards] show makes sure that that happens, that they’re portrayed positively as opposed to stereotypically.” –- Clay Aiken, American Idol star
“A world without closets…a place where love can be expressed freely and without anxiety…Gay children of God are entitled to the same rights as all the other children.” –- Phil Donahue, on what he wants the world to be like in the future.
“What we have to do is take ownership of who this community really is. When this community stops asking people for something and knowing what is their right and what they deserve…the way the community understands its own power and the way it inspires other people… We’re not going to be angry. We are angry, but we’re going to channel it into something much more powerful. That is when this community became a community, and when people come out and share their stories, and tell everybody who they are in the face of a world of divisiveness and vilification, and they say, ‘I’m sorry, this is who I am.
I will own it whether you like it or not.’ Do you understand what that statement means? How powerful it is? …I see so much in this community and I don’t want to see it waste its time or energy. It’s very important to begin to nurture and honor and respect yourselves for who you are. I do really think that will make things turn around. I really do.” -– Judith Light, Ugly Betty‘s mater familias and our favorite person in the world.
Fausto Fernos
Love Judith!
atdleft
@Fausto Fernos: Seconded. I hope she’s right… No, let me rephrase that. I know Judith Light is right on this! When we show our courage and our true colors by sharing our stories with our family, our friends, our neighbors, and our co-workers , we’re changing the hearts and minds we need to change in order to win. 🙂
GranDiva
Apropos of @atdleft, I offer a link:
Too many motherfucking conservatives on this motherfucking plane.
chuck
Who cares about the fake, phony world of hollywood. They are so wrapped up in selling and marketing a product to a bored populace. I mean you can see what marketing can give you by packaging and marketing Obama. He was suppose to support queerville but he didn’t. Where is obama on all of this. What is he saying. Does he love queers?
afrolito
Talk about the D-list.
jeffrey reichenbacher
Great site. Comments from members of our community and our straight allies are always welcome. Mr. Hansis: “I think a lot of people will realize what they’re doing is wrong”? If all of the allegations about your sexuality are true and you are a closeted gay, what you’re doing is wrong. It contributes to the belief and fear that being gay is bad and should be hidden, perpetuates homophobia, hurts our cause and our youth. I am not interested in what alleged closet cases have to say until they have the balls to out themselves or definitely identify as straight. Quote NPH, Cheyenne Jackson, Gavin Creel. et al.
Timothy
“What we have to do…”
The great thing about Judith Light is that she recognizes and owns that she is a part of this community. We are not just some community of individuals that are attracted to the same sex, but rather we are a community of individuals who believe that all persons regardless of orientation are entitled to equality, decency, and fairness.
TANK
That would be really nice if Phil Donahue weren’t frothing at the mouth while pissing himself. You know he berates tic tacs in public, right?
Dabq
@afrolito: LOL and spot on, although Judith Light and Phil Donahue have been speaking out for gay rights for years now and I thank them for doing so, have never heard of any of the others other than Akin, who offers nothing .
mb00
Love her too. I think she’s just a great, great advocate for our community.
CMYK
I’m so glad I voted for Cherry Jones for president.
cubby
I think it’s great to see someone like Aiken speaking up for LGBT rights, supporting Prop 8, & being a positive example to his fans (a segment of which are very conservative), gay parents & the disabled community to whom he’s always been a role model. We need to be more encouraging to celebs who are hesitant to risk their livelihood, instead of bashing them when they do feel comfortable enough to live openly.
J
Judith Light is my soverign mistress.
Cee
@afrolito: LOL Yes…I was thinking the same thing. These so called famous people are not even Paparazzi worthy. The only really famous person on that roster is Clay Aiken because of American Idol, but he is falling off the charts as well. Queerty could have came up with a better list of celebrities. There’s many top current hollywood actors and actresses that have weighed in on gay marriage.