--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a gay American." description: "\"I am a gay American.\" — James McGreevey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg" --- # I am a gay American. ![“I am a gay American.” quote by James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg) > “I am a gay American.” [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement simply declares the speaker’s sexual orientation as an American gay man. **In simple terms:** Speaker identifies as gay American. Key Takeaway Live authentically. Themes identity LGBTQ+ politics visibility Mood courageous personal Type political personal When to use this quote - public speaking - advocacy - media interviews Key Concepts social justice personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does visibility impact LGBTQ+ rights? - What challenges do gay politicians encounter? A Different Perspective It may face societal prejudice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) ## Related quotes > [My truth is that I am a gay American,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/my-truth-is-that-i-am-a-gay-american/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/being-a-gay-american-i-know-what-it-means-to-look-at-the-flag-and-not/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [The big thing is to make this country... quit discriminating against people just because they're gay. You don't have to agree with it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/the-big-thing-is-to-make-this-country-quit-discriminating-against/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [I have lived my life very openly, and have never hidden the fact that I am gay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-knight/i-have-lived-my-life-very-openly-and-have-never-hidden-the-fact-that-2/) [Jonathan Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-knight/) > [I have always been attracted to gay guys so I always thought I am gay man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-paytas/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-gay-guys-so-i-always-thought-i-am-gay/) [Trisha Paytas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-paytas/) > [I didn't want to be gay. I wanted to be... I wanted an easy life. And you know what? I am gay, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-didn-t-want-to-be-gay-i-wanted-to-be-i-wanted-an-easy-life-and-you/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I don't think anyone went the polls and said, 'I am casting my vote to make sure that Wall Street has better chances to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-think-anyone-went-the-polls-and-said-i-am-casting-my-vote-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I have been called racist slurs and been treated differently because I am Asian American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/i-have-been-called-racist-slurs-and-been-treated-differently-because/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. You know marriage is between a man and a woman, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/you-know-for-many-elected-officials-they-all-started-in-the-same/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. Obviously I knew I wasn't but people were curiously desperate to suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-had-to-smile-when-stories-emerged-questioning-whether-i-was-gay/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## More by James McGreevey > [Civil union is less than marriage. Marriage is a sacred and valued institution and ought to be afforded equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/civil-union-is-less-than-marriage-marriage-is-a-sacred-and-valued/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. You know marriage is between a man and a woman, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/you-know-for-many-elected-officials-they-all-started-in-the-same/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [At different points in my life, I had grappled with the idea of going into the priesthood - in high school or law school.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/at-different-points-in-my-life-i-had-grappled-with-the-idea-of-going/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [I am resigning because my secret leaves the governor's office vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-am-resigning-because-my-secret-leaves-the-governor-s-office/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [The history of America is to expand civil liberties in a responsible and civil manner. We need to remember that our wonderful Democracy with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/the-history-of-america-is-to-expand-civil-liberties-in-a-responsible/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [No relief was forthcoming from my then-Catholic faith, which said the practice of homosexuality was a 'mortal sin' subject to damnation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/no-relief-was-forthcoming-from-my-then-catholic-faith-which-said-the/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [I do not believe that God tortures any person simply for its own sake. I believe that God enables all things to work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-do-not-believe-that-god-tortures-any-person-simply-for-its-own-sake/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [More than anything else I recall being, or trying very deliberately to be, a perfect child. Not a Goody Two-shoes, but a kid who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/more-than-anything-else-i-recall-being-or-trying-very-deliberately-to/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [Being gay is a fundamental part of my being - the core of who I've always been, and the thing that I had repressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/being-gay-is-a-fundamental-part-of-my-being-the-core-of-who-i-ve/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [For me, living in the closet corroded my ability to have an honest, open relationship with my God, my loved ones, my constituency and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/for-me-living-in-the-closet-corroded-my-ability-to-have-an-honest/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [When I came out publicly, some photo editors had a field day searching for pictures of me with a limp wrist or some other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/when-i-came-out-publicly-some-photo-editors-had-a-field-day-searching/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [As I climbed the electoral ladder - from state assemblyman to mayor of Woodbridge and finally to governor of New Jersey - political compromises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/as-i-climbed-the-electoral-ladder-from-state-assemblyman-to-mayor-of/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [We are losing sight of civility in government and politics. Debate and dialogue is taking a back seat to the politics of destruction and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/we-are-losing-sight-of-civility-in-government-and-politics-debate-and/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [I kept a steel wall around my moral and sexual instincts - protecting them, I thought, from the threats of the real world. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-kept-a-steel-wall-around-my-moral-and-sexual-instincts-protecting/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [I knew I was different when I was about six years of age but I just knew that I wasn't like everybody else. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-knew-i-was-different-when-i-was-about-six-years-of-age-but-i-just/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) [Explore all 42 James McGreevey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) ## More Am quotes > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [I know who I am. I know what I represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cora/i-know-who-i-am-i-know-what-i-represent/) [Alex Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cora/) > [I am fortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-fortunate/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Acting is what I do with who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/acting-is-what-i-do-with-who-i-am/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) Browse all 9,589 Am quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a gay American.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James McGreevey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-am-a-gay-american/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Am" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-am-a-gay-american/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/james-mcgreevey-15663_am_i-am-a-gay-american-2569817_2569817.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a gay American.” — James McGreevey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James McGreevey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a gay American.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-am-a-gay-american/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-am-a-gay-american/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```