I was an older brother. So I had to do a lot of things first. My father was a self-made man, and he would beat me senseless. But he was a Scotsman, and stubborn. I’m his son, and I’m stubborn, too. I go on being stubborn.

Ostracism means you don’t exist at all. And that’s a very difficult situation to live with. As gay people, we had been chasing ostracism by that point for probably 300 years. You just knew that you should have dropped into your black hole.

If you look into the history of fashion, you’ll discover that Gernreich was the leading name for years and the leading fashion designer both here in the United States and internationally.

I’ve always felt I carried a golden secret, a wonderful secret. Every time I thought about it, it made me feel warm inside and good.

I was accustomed to walking alone. I’d find other people who agreed with me, but they also said, “I wouldn’t dare mention it.” I was the only one who would say, “We’ve got to stand.” And they said, “Well, yes. And after you make it safe, then I’ll stand, too. But you have to make it safe.”

Underneath that facade, I’m a terrified little sissy, just like everybody else. But I never let it show.

The moment you say, “We are proud. I’m proud to be this, and I’m proud to be that,” what you’re saying is we’re almost as good as the others. “Almost” always means not quite.

I always say to people, “If you share my dream, why don’t we walk together?” And that’s my only organizing tool.

I’m not looking for a boyish girl. I’m looking for a boy. And I’m not looking for a girlish boy either.

Assimilation is the way you excuse yourself. It absolutely never worked at all. You may not think you are noticeable. But they know who you are. They know you’re a degenerate, and they’ve never forgotten that.