I now realize that I am a gay man before anything else. Other gays may think they're a Jew first, or black, or a banker, but I'm gay.
Larry KramerRead
Gay life in 1970 was very bleak, compartmentalized. You didn't take it to work. You had to really lead a double life. There were bars, but you sort of snuck in and snuck out. Activism and gay pride simply didn't exist. I don't even think the word 'gay' was in existence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the struggles and hiding of gay identity in the 1970s, emphasizing a stark contrast to modern acceptance.
Larry Kramer’s quote paints a vivid picture of the isolation and challenges faced by the gay community in the 1970s. It highlights the necessity for individuals to live a 'double life' due to societal norms that forced them to conceal their identities in workplaces and public settings. This lack of acceptance made it difficult for activists to form a cohesive movement or for individuals to express their pride openly, showcasing the significant struggles before the progress seen today.
Themes
GayIdentityActivismPride1970S
In practice
Example use cases
A speech at a pride event reflecting on the history of gay rights.
More from Larry Kramer
All quotes →AIDS is a plague - numerically, statistically and by any definition known to modern public health - though no one in authority has the guts to call it one.
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I think being gay and gay people are the most wonderful things in the world. I wish all of us could have the power and pride to benefit from what is rightfully ours. Why isn't there an enormous building in Washington called the 'National Association of Lesbian and Gay Concerns' to lobby for us?
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The most important fact is that gays have been here since day one. To say otherwise is a gross denial and stupidity. We played an enormous part in the history of America.
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We didn't exist. Ronald Reagan didn't say the word 'AIDS' until 1987. I've tried desperately to get a meeting in the White House; Gay Men's Health Crisis is already an established organization. I have a certain presence.
Larry KramerRead
AIDS was allowed to happen. It is a plague that need not have happened. It is a plague that could have been contained from the very beginning.
Larry KramerRead
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