Richard Quest Quotes

I don't think closeted homosexual morticians have the market cornered on self-loathing or sense of shame.

Before I came out, the thought of someone calling me gay, even when I knew very well that I was, was petrifying.

When I was outed, it was like, That's done.

Some women can't say the word lesbian... even when their mouth is full of one.

I spent 24 years in the closet wanting to talk so desperately about who I was and what I am but too afraid to.

I had a lot of fear about coming out as a kid.

Competitors, even friends that would say things that were so homophobic, and - I don't think that they realized necessarily the impact that it was having on me, because I was in the closet, and I think that that's what made me really scared to come out.

I really brought that with me: that people think gay people are disgusting... I remember thinking, 'Okay, I might be gay. But I won't tell anybody. Nobody will ever know.'

I've been bisexual for as long as I can remember. I remember being made fun of in junior high for that. It was something that was shameful, and it really shouldn't be.

I think it's always good for gay people to come out, but it's also understandable why people might choose not to do so.

And I've known people who came out with a sense of torture.

'Milk' doesn't imply that all gay men who stayed in the closet were cowards.

I have a coming-out story that's probably very similar to lots of people who are my age: the fear of being rejected, the fear of losing your family and friends. You know, I worked through all of that, and that fear, and what that does to you, is pretty profound.

Being gay and coming up in New Orleans was not easy. At first I was very terrified and very timid.

I've always been someone who's had to compartmentalize my life because I was in the closet, and I was in fear of outing myself. I always had so much going on in my mind and couldn't share it with anyone, so I actually feel like, now that I'm out, I have less to compartmentalize.

George was adamant his sexuality should be kept under wraps, which created a wholly unwelcome extra level of stress for him to manage.

I was insecure and ashamed. Unless you're gay, being gay has never been looked at as being cool. And I wanted to be cool.

Gay people in general, I think, like telling secrets because we have to hide a huge secret for the first half of our lives. Why would we want to keep any more?

I've always been comfortable with my gayness, but I was intimidated by the social anxiety.

When you're young and queer and closeted, you can end up in this place where you regard your straight peers as the enemy.

There's nothing wrong with being gay, but I'm not.

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.

Part of the reason why I've never said that I was gay until now was because I didn't want that adjective assigned to my name for all of eternity. You know, gay Rosie O'Donnell.

Trying to conceal the fact that I was a gay, effeminate, hyperactive, adopted child with a serious lisp in southern Louisiana would have been like trying to hide Dolly Parton in a string bikini!

I once had a large gay following, but I ducked into an alleyway and lost him.