The strong feelings of reverence may be painfully obvious, but when a lesbian is speaking, everyone else should zip it. What lesbians have contributed to gay and queer culture — not to mention society as a whole — is not to be minimized. From the sheroes on the frontlines of the 1980s AIDS epidemic (deemed the Blood Sisters, who organized blood drives for AIDS patients and volunteered at various hospitals and clinics) to renowned historical figures and change-makers like Anne Lister — aka “Gentleman Jack” — and Barbara Gittings, lesbians deserve to be heard. Without further ado, here are some of the best and most eye-opening quotes from lesbian icons.
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5 Memorable Quotes From Lesbian Icons Throughout History
“The thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely.”
Written by American playwright Lorraine Hansberry in a 1962 journal entry, this quote speaks volumes in any era. Hansberry’s 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun” highlighted Chicago’s racial segregation and was “the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway,” as per NBC News. Though she penned four separate lesbian-themed tales in the ’50s — titled “The Anticipation of Eve,” “Chanson du Konallis,” “The Budget,” and “Renascence” — they were published under the pseudonym Emily Jones. She only revealed her sexual orientation in 1960s diary entries.
“You look ridiculous if you dance. You look ridiculous if you don’t dance. So you might as well dance.”
Late American experimental novelist and poet Gertrude Stein is notable for being an early collector and promoter of lesser-known avant-garde art, including that of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse (you may have heard of them). The Metropolitan Museum of Art has called her “one of the earliest champions of Cubism.”
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Stein’s sneaky 1933 memoir of sorts, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, saw her detail her own life and relationships with modernist artists while masquerading the work as an autobiography of her partner. It became a controversial bestseller.
“Being born gay, Black and female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay, Black female is.”
You’ve surely seen Lena Waithe’s work, as the Emmy-winning screenwriter, actor, and producer is behind some of today’s biggest entertainment projects. Known for Master of None, Queen & Slim, The Chi, and Twenties, Waithe is an out and proud lesbian who frequently showcases the nuances of the Black experience in her work. In 2017, she became the the first Black woman to win an Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series category.
“I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We’ve been taught that silence would save us, but it won’t.”
Having deemed herself a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” Audre Lorde is a renowned 20th-century intersectional feminist and civil rights activist. The Poetry Foundation credits the former poet laureate of New York with having “dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.”
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Some of Lorde’s most important collections of poems include From a Land Where Other People Live, New York Head Shop and Museum, Coal, The Black Unicorn, and The Cancer Journals.
“The wave of fame eventually hits the shore. And then it goes back out, but it’s never as strong as the first wave.”
This quote comes from a 2021 interview with Vulture, the Emmy-winning comedian, actor, writer, and talk show host reflecting on her career and her time working on 1993 romcom Sleepless in Seattle. With a career spanning over four decades, O’Donnell is famous for bringing a lively energy and unapologetically progressive views to ’90s daytime television with her hit show The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Though O’Donnell came out as a lesbian in 2002 after her show closed its curtains, the talk show’s behind-the-scenes staff was brimming with queer creatives, as per a 2021 Vulture feature, making the set a warm and safe space for all.
Have a favorite thought-provoking quote from a lesbian icon? Let us know on social! Follow us @ontherecordhq and join the conversation.
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