--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I now realize that I am a gay man before…" description: "\"I now realize that I am a gay man before anything else. Other gays may think they're a Jew first, or black, or a banker, but I'm gay.\" — Larry Kramer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/larry-kramer-13922_bankers_i-now-realize-that-i-am-a-gay-man-before_1146258.jpg" --- # I now realize that I am a gay man before anything else… ![“I now realize that I am a gay man before anything else. Other gays may think they're a Jew first, or black, or a banker, but I'm gay.” quote by Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/larry-kramer-13922_bankers_i-now-realize-that-i-am-a-gay-man-before_1146258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/larry-kramer-13922_bankers_i-now-realize-that-i-am-a-gay-man-before_1146258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/larry-kramer-13922_bankers_i-now-realize-that-i-am-a-gay-man-before_1146258.jpg) > “I now realize that I am a gay man before anything else. Other gays may think they're a Jew first, or black, or a banker, but I'm gay.” [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. My primary identity is being gay, above other social categories. **In simple terms:** Identity is foremost; other labels are secondary. Key Takeaway Embrace core identity without hierarchy. Themes identity sexuality self-definition Mood reflective proud Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - coming out - community building - personal narrative Key Concepts social identity intersectionality pride Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize aspects of identity? - What role do intersecting identities play in your life? A Different Perspective Other identities may also be central for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bankers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bankers/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-men/) [Gays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gays/) [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There are tons of gay issues that are important, from gay marriage to adoption rights to work-place discrimination and more... but I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-oakley/there-are-tons-of-gay-issues-that-are-important-from-gay-marriage-to/) [Tyler Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-oakley/) > [After I read about Uganda's now famous "kill the gays" bill, I wanted to explore the religious forces behind it. As a gay man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/after-i-read-about-uganda-s-now-famous-kill-the-gays-bill-i-wanted-to/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As a lifelong pacifist, Quaker, and a gay man, I despair that gays and lesbians are expending energy trying to get into the military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/as-a-lifelong-pacifist-quaker-and-a-gay-man-i-despair-that-gays-and/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [I just think that gay men have much better taste than any straight man I have met. I have never gotten any grief about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/i-just-think-that-gay-men-have-much-better-taste-than-any-straight/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [Lately, I've been a little sad that I'm not a gay man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-gershon/lately-i-ve-been-a-little-sad-that-i-m-not-a-gay-man/) [Gina Gershon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-gershon/) > [Rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/rather-than-ignore-those-who-choose-to-publish-their-opinions-without/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I look to an out gay man or woman as pretty much what I would aspire to. The strength that it takes to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-folds/i-look-to-an-out-gay-man-or-woman-as-pretty-much-what-i-would-aspire/) [Ben Folds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-folds/) > [A gay man has no business leading on a heterosexual woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-luft/a-gay-man-has-no-business-leading-on-a-heterosexual-woman/) [Lorna Luft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-luft/) > [Thank you for your kind invitation. However, as a gay man, I must decline. I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/thank-you-for-your-kind-invitation-however-as-a-gay-man-i-must/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I'm a gay man trapped in a woman's body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-m-a-gay-man-trapped-in-a-woman-s-body/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I'm for all kinds of gay rights. I'm almost like a gay man myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nene-leakes/i-m-for-all-kinds-of-gay-rights-i-m-almost-like-a-gay-man-myself/) [NeNe Leakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nene-leakes/) > [Let there be no mistake. A gay man alone could never begin to replicate the inner workings of the female mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/let-there-be-no-mistake-a-gay-man-alone-could-never-begin-to/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [I often laugh and say I should go down to the Department of the Interior and register as an endangered species. I'm a gay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mixner/i-often-laugh-and-say-i-should-go-down-to-the-department-of-the/) [David Mixner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mixner/) > [I'm straight, but the character was too important to me to muddle his world with my private life. As a nobody, I got away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/i-m-straight-but-the-character-was-too-important-to-me-to-muddle-his/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) > [To play a repressed gay man, I had to explore what life was like in an era of sexual repression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-play-a-repressed-gay-man-i-had-to-explore-what-life-was-like-in-an/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) ## More by Larry Kramer > [“Holy shit," somebody muttered in the dark. "A virgin," sputtered another. "I didn't know they still made them." "He just did.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/holy-shit-somebody-muttered-in-the-dark-a-virgin-sputtered-another-i/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [Gay life in 1970 was very bleak, compartmentalized. You didn't take it to work. You had to really lead a double life. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/gay-life-in-1970-was-very-bleak-compartmentalized-you-didn-t-take-it/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [You do not get more with honey than with vinegar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/you-do-not-get-more-with-honey-than-with-vinegar/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [Activism is very seductive, and writing is painful and hard. It's very scary to have a death threat living over your head. Activism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/activism-is-very-seductive-and-writing-is-painful-and-hard-it-s-very/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [Writers are given one great story to tell their story. I’m telling my story as a political document.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/writers-are-given-one-great-story-to-tell-their-story-i-m-telling-my/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [ We're all going to go crazy, living this epidemic \[AIDS\] every minute, while the rest of the world goes on out there, all around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/we-re-all-going-to-go-crazy-living-this-epidemic-aids-every-minute/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [I don't mind about the dead ones. They're dead. The worst of it is, they cling to the living and won't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/i-don-t-mind-about-the-dead-ones-they-re-dead-the-worst-of-it-is-they/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [There's no question that the gay movement would not be as far along as it is without AIDS. But how can there be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/there-s-no-question-that-the-gay-movement-would-not-be-as-far-along/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [By nature, Im an optimistic person. No one believes it, but I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/by-nature-im-an-optimistic-person-no-one-believes-it-but-i-am/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [The only way we'll have real pride is when we demand recognition of a culture that isn't just sexual. It's all there--all throughhistory we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/the-only-way-we-ll-have-real-pride-is-when-we-demand-recognition-of-a/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [“There will always be enemies. Time to stop being your own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/there-will-always-be-enemies-time-to-stop-being-your-own/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [I do not think the gay population has been all that rabid for gay marriage. Note that I do not use the words 'gay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/i-do-not-think-the-gay-population-has-been-all-that-rabid-for-gay/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [Mr. Do-Nothing Obama will say today, 'Lets think of all the poor dead people' - or 'let's honor all the dead' instead of fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/mr-do-nothing-obama-will-say-today-lets-think-of-all-the-poor-dead/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [I love being gay. I love gay people. I think we're better than other people. I really do. I think we're smarter and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/i-love-being-gay-i-love-gay-people-i-think-we-re-better-than-other/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [The media in America is not covering American AIDS very much. They're covering African AIDS as if somehow miraculously it's all stopped here. 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