"She's regarded by those who don't know better as the authority on black gay life, and was recently appointed the James Baldwin Professor of African American Effeminacy at Harvard."

“One detective arms himself with a sawed-off baseball bat. ‘We’ll shoot the first motherfucker that comes through the door.’ ”

“You know, the guys there were so beautiful,” says Allen Ginsberg of the Stonewall, “they’ve lost that wounded look that fags all had 10 years ago.”

“I’ve gone around since the end of last year asking every lesbian I know if she wants to get married and of course it’s been a confusing proposal.“

“Recall again those memorable summer nights in 1969 when we were pushed too far — and bellowed back in rage, THIS FAR AND NO FUTHER!”

“The word passion originally meant suf­fering, agony, as of a martyr. The passion of Christ and all that. No wonder being in love made me feel out of control.”