Bob Harper Quotes

Personally speaking, growing up as a gay man before it was as socially acceptable as it is now, I knew what it was to feel different, to feel alienated and to feel not like everyone else. But the very same thing that made me monstrous to some people also empowered me and made me who I was.

Gay people - generally speaking - have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if and when we feel that we can.

When I was younger, I used to think that my unconventional upbringing was a weakness, but over the past few years, I've learnt to see it as one of my greatest strengths.

Coming out as a gay man, it was very much about finding my own identity and dealing with labeling.

When I came out, when I was 17 years old, it was one of those things where I realized that there was going to be so many obstacles, but being gay doesn't mean being weak. And being gay doesn't mean that you are less than anybody else. It's just who you are.

Scars are reminders of the obstacles we've overcome. Wear them proudly.

Gay men have to go through something to own their - who they are. They get beat up. They get ostracized. Whatever they go through, if they survive it, they come out very confident people.

In the 1980s, there weren't a lot of role models for gay teenagers.

Honestly, if the worst these people can say about me is that I'm gay, then I think I'll be fine. I can handle it.

I would advise any gay person that being out in the real sense can never happen too soon.

Lesbians and gays... they still have to fight, even inside. It's not that simple, even if they seem to be accepted.

I don't particularly like going on about being gay or making a big thing about it, but I think it's a bit of a pain to be secretive about it.

I'm not ashamed of being gay, never have been and never will be. For that I have no apologies.

I was raised thinking I'd burn in hell for being gay, but I didn't have a choice. It's just who I am.

If I was gay, why wouldn't I admit it? It wouldn't harm me.

I think also there was a lot of coming to terms with where I am in life, where I fit in as a gay man in America, and getting more comfortable with who I am.

So many people in the gay community have always asked me to come out, say it like it is, and help our cause. But for me... I think my biggest statement I could give to the world is to be strong being myself... you have to make something of yourself, and that's what makes us strong.

I wish to spend my life's twilight being just who I am. I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone, and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of extreme discretion with me.

I would say, if you come out, they can't take away how you play football. That was the thing for me: once I did come out, it's not going to affect my diving. I can still perform, no matter what anybody else thinks of me. I'm judged for what I do in the diving pool.

It takes facing obstacles to grow strong enough to overcome them.

My strength comes from my mom. Just seeing what she had to go through to raise us, she wouldn't make excuses; she wouldn't put her head down. So I guess I looked at adversity right in the eye and took it on.

I've got lots of problems. Being gay isn't one of them.

I never hate my bullies from high school. I actually kind of appreciate them. If it wasn't for that boot camp training of how the world treats gay people and especially drag queens, I don't know if I would have survived as well as I have.

When I was young, people were so disgusted by me. Before I even knew that I was gay... everybody else had it figured out and, you know, they were letting you know.

Scars can be a good story. I survived and I am proud of them. I didn't want it, obviously. The girls definitely like them.