HRC Back Story

GO WANDA!

Comedian Wanda Sykes says the passage of a same-sex marriage ban in California has led to her be more outspoken about being gay.

"You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation. I didn't feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life," Sykes told a crowd at a gay rights rally in Las Vegas on Saturday.

"Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay. But that's the way people should be able to live their lives," she said.

Sykes, who is known for her feisty and blunt style, said the passage of California's Proposition 8 made her feel like she was "attacked."

"Now, I gotta get in their face," she said. "I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."

[Photo credit: Steve Friess at Vegas Happens Here. Steve has also posted audio of Syke's comments at the Las Vegas rally - plus an interview with Wanda - here .]

**UPDATE: Here's the video:

***UPDATE #2: Angela Harvey, an HRC Federal Club member and public speaker, also addressed the crowd at the Las Vegas rally.  She sent us this update on Sunday:

Saturday was a great day!

At a moment's notice, I was asked to speak in front of one of the largest crowds I've ever addressed in my 6 years of professional speaking.  Las Vegas, like many major cities across the United States, had a rally in response to the passing of Prop 8 in California.  The rallies were also geared to rejuvenate our fight for equal rights and marriage equality.  It was wonderful.  Over a thousand people held hands, signs, babies and children and congregated at the LGBT Center of S. Nevada to StandOUT for Equality.

While I hadn't planned to speak, everyone knows that I'm always just minutes away from giving a full blown workshop anyways!   After I spoke, the director of the Center called  Wanda Sykes (yes, THE Wanda Sykes) up to the stage after receiving a tip that she was in the crowd.  When she took the stage, the crowd went wild! I'm sure some gave her such a warm welcome because she was a celebrity, but many cheered because they had no idea she is a lesbian!  She acknowledged that being there and listening to some of the speeches had moved her to make one of the first public acknowledgments about her sexuality.  The crowd cheered and I instantly felt proud.

After Wanda's moment, it was a little surreal as people started putting me in front of TV cameras, shaking my hand, hugging me, congratulating me and telling me how much they enjoyed my speech. The day got even better when Wanda Sykes sent her assistant to find me.  She said I was an inspiration I and that my speech helped Wanda make up her mind that today would be the day she would publicly acknowledge her sexuality and join the fight for equality.  She even wrote her cell number on my hand since neither of us had our business cards!   

Although most people would be excited that a celebrity like Wanda Sykes chose to acknowledge their influence in a life-changing decision, I was simply proud and humbled that I was able to have an impact in someone's life, period. I continue to draw all the encouragement I need by knowing that I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing in this ongoing fight for equality.