Lea DeLaria Quotes

I have never been outed by anyone but myself!

My views on equality are pretty obvious. I mean, I did play a highly complex lesbian techno DJ on TV, but I know it's not always easy to come out and tell the world where you stand.

For me, being out within my life became far more important than being in any movie.

I think it's impossible to judge whether another person should come out. You just hope they will on their own time and their own terms.

I'm sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they're doing what they're doing, but I do think that if you're gay you have a responsibility to come out.

A lot of people told me I should be quiet about being bisexual and not say anything, but for me this is a part of my identity.

I can't speak for other people, but for me, I feel like gone are the days that you need to come out of a closet. I never felt like I was in a closet. I never did. I always felt comfortable with who I am and the decisions I made.

How you present yourself is nobody's business but your own. The stylists have an opinion. The hair people have an opinion. The fans and the management have opinions. Ultimately, you have to trust that you are the safe-keeper of yourself.

I didn't choose the fact that I was gay, but I did choose whether to live my life as a gay woman-that was the terrifying thing for me. Especially being a gay actress.

I think it would be great if everybody could be out. But it's such a personal choice. People have to do it at their own speed. I respect that.

Coming out is the most political thing you can do.

I put myself on the line with my truth and my sexuality. That is my choice. My choice.

I never officially came out in any kind of really public way. I just always lived very simply and openly, but the press has never made a big fuss about me or said anything to me.

There's kind of a gift in being gay because, if you come out, you're forced to express yourself.

In terms of my work, I've never been reticent in terms of defining my sexuality. I write about my life.

I remember telling my mom, 'Mom, I'm gay, but I'm not going to march in a parade or anything.' That's what I was telling my parents and all my friends and everything. I'm gay, but I'm not going to be on a float or something. Cut to five years later, and I was the grand marshal of the gay pride parade.

The difference between being in the closet and out of the closet as a gay man is such a huge shift. I feel so connected still to that 22-year-old, but the idea that I was not open with that part of my life - which I am now so open about - is sort of surreal.

I was never hiding from being gay; I just never talked about it.

I am lucky to say now that it is not frightening for me, living in L.A., to be gay. Even when I was in Texas, I wasn't afraid. I was kind of out in high school. I just could never decide on what label. I am glad that I am public about it, and I think I should be.

Saying to someone 'I'm a transsexual' is the most empowering thing I've ever felt in my whole life.

I'm not ashamed to be gay.

I feel like how I live my life is my own political statement.

Some people have their sexuality really at the forefront of who they are, and I applaud those people.

I remember when I told my mom that I wanted to come out, and my mom was a little hesitant. She was saying, 'Are you sure? Do you think that might affect your scores?' or, 'Is it something that you think that you need to do?' And I told her, 'I don't care. It's important to me.'

Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible - to live in the truth, as I say - to get out of the lie.