What does it mean to be a gay American?
“Standing up for the rights of others, being proud of who you are, and teaching others to be proud of who they are.”
Brent Smothers
Schoolteacher
“To be treated the same.”
Julie Lewis
Coffee shop employee
“I’m free to do whatever I chose, such as love who I want, be with who I want, and go where I want.”
Buddy Larue
Car salesman
“Being an American is a privilege, and with that privilege comes a civic responsibility to give back to your community and to promote social welfare.”
Janet Arnold
Student
“Be who you are, and don’t regret anything. … Be happy.”
Val Ortiz
Hotel employee
Have a suggestion for a question you’d like us to ask? E-mail it to Lacey Brutschy at lbrutsch@smu.edu.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, July 6, 2007.