Long before I came out, before I had the vocabulary to describe who I was or the courage to admit it to myself, I stumbled across a copy of Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein.
I was far too young to fully understand it. But I read it anyway. Then I read it again. And again. And again.
At first, most of it went over my head. The characters were adults navigating relationships, heartbreak, loneliness, and love in ways that were completely outside my experience. But even when I didn't understand every detail, I understood that these were the kinds of people I might one day become: funny, flawed, vulnerable, and unapologetically themselves.
For a young gay kid growing up without any examples of what my future might look like, that mattered.
Every rereading revealed something new. As I got older, the play seemed to grow alongside me. What had once felt mysterious gradually became familiar. What had once been confusing became illuminating. Torch Song Trilogy didn’t just entertain me. It helped me imagine a life beyond the one I knew.
I suspect many LGBTQ people have similar stories. Before representation became commonplace, we often found ourselves searching for clues. A novel. A movie. A television character. A magazine article. Anything that suggested we were not alone.
For me, my first gay uncle was Harvey Fierstein.
Even today, my favorite single page of writing remains the “Author’s Note” from Torch Song Trilogy. I’ve returned to it countless times over the years. There is wisdom there, but also humor, honesty, and a deep understanding of what it means to be human. Like all great writing, it is incredibly specific while somehow speaking to something universal.
Of course, Fierstein’s legacy extends far beyond a single play.
Over the course of an extraordinary career, he has been almost impossible to categorize. He is an actor, playwright, screenwriter, librettist, storyteller, activist, and artist. He gave us Torch Song Trilogy. He wrote the book for La Cage aux Folles. He penned Kinky Boots. He brought unforgettable characters to life on stage and screen. Through every medium he touched, he helped expand what LGBTQ stories could be.
More importantly, he did it while sounding unmistakably like himself.
Artists are often encouraged to smooth out their rough edges, but Harvey Fierstein built a legendary career by embracing his. His voice, both literal and artistic, is one of a kind. No one else sounds like Harvey Fierstein because no one else is Harvey Fierstein.
These days, I find myself inspired by yet another chapter of his creative life: his quilting. Watching someone continue to explore new artistic passions well into a legendary career is a reminder that creativity doesn’t have an expiration date. There is always another skill to learn, another medium to try, another story to tell.
One of the greatest lessons Harvey Fierstein has taught me is not simply how to be gay or how to be an artist.
His greatest lesson for me is how to keep growing, how to stay curious, and how to keep making things.
So today, on his birthday, I’m grateful.
Grateful for the kid who picked up a copy of Torch Song Trilogy without fully understanding what he was reading. Grateful for the countless artists who helped me see possibilities I couldn’t yet imagine. And grateful that Harvey Fierstein is still here, still creating, still inspiring, and still reminding generations of LGBTQ people that our stories matter.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Fierstein. The world is a better, richer, and more colorful place because you’ve spent a lifetime filling it with your voice. Loudly and proudly.
Keep calm and carry on!
Clint 🌈✌️
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ends 06-30-26
FROM THE ARCHIVES
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
06-06 = A’Lelia Walker (1885-1931) = American entrepreneur and arts patron 🌈
06-06 = Annie Adams Fields (1834-1915) = American writer 🌈
06-06 = Harvey Fierstein (1952- ) = American actor and playwright 🌈
06-06 = Holly Near (1949- ) = American singer-songwriter and activist 🌈
06-06 = Sandra Bernhard (1955- ) = American comedian and actor 🌈
06-06 = Thomas Mann (1875-1955) = German writer 🌈
06-06 = Ty Defoe (1984- ) = Native American artist, activist, and writer 🌈
06-06 = Violet Trefusis (1894-1972) = English writer and socialite 🌈
MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”
Harvey Fierstein
Thanks for your article, I love the movie and Anne Bancroft should have been nominated for the Oscar. My other torch as a young out gay was " The Front Runner". Still wish they had made the movie. A good read.
I can’t guess how many times I have watched Torch Song Trilogy.
Harvey is a hero to me. Never forget the bunny slippers.