Harvey Fierstein

State-sanctioned marriage is a civil contract, period. A contract is not a judgment of moral value. It is a legal agreement between two parties that testifies to a meeting of minds between those consenting entities. It is not a religious act or rite and so has nothing to do with Adam and Eve or Steve or even Harvey.

You know, I always got offered other stuff. Not the romantic leads, obviously. But very often it's a role that's underwritten, where the character has no personality at all. And they need a character actor who can fill it in.

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life define yourself.

I've been dating since I was 15 years old, and I just don't seem to do it well.

Beware of anyone who says they know. Trust me, they don't, or they wouldn't have to say they did.

To work all the time is to be incredibly lucky.

The great thing about suicide is that it's not one of those things you have to do now or you lose your chance. I mean, you can always do it later.

Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.

I do believe we're all connected. I do believe in positive energy. I do believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in putting good out into the world. And I believe in taking care of each other.

My father was brought up in an orphanage in the Catskills. He was a factory worker. And because his family wasn't there for him, family was everything. We could disagree inside the house, but outside the house it was us against the world. So when I became a drag actor, he looked sideways but said okay.

In Torch Song, I did that character almost non-stop from 1978 until I made the movie in 1987. Then I had some failure, which also colors how you react to doing other things.

Of course people are afraid. But honestly facing that fear seeing it for what it is is the only way of putting it to rest.

If you deny yourself commitment what can you do with your life?

There comes a time in every Salome's life when she should no longer be dropping the last veil.

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

I just want to be loved, is that so wrong?!