Harvey Fierstein + Sandra Bernhard Made Me Gay
And I Can't Thank Them Enough
I was today years old when I realized two of my all-time queer heroes share a birthday.
Harvey Fierstein and Sandra Bernhard—born three years apart on June 6—were exactly the kind of heroes I needed when I was coming out: utterly unforgettable, unapologetic, and unmistakably queer at a time when few dared to be.
Back in the 1980s, I was an awkward, anxious baby gay. I didn’t know exactly what I was or where I belonged, but I knew I didn’t belong in the straight world. So I spent hours roaming dusty used bookstore shelves, hunting the aisles of the library, and digging through crates in record shops, searching for signs of life—proof that I wasn’t alone, that somewhere out there, people like me existed and even thrived.
Enter Harvey and Sandra.
Harvey, with that unmistakable gravelly voice and those piercingly honest plays like Torch Song Trilogy, didn’t just open my closet door—he helped burn that mfer down.
Fierstein writes stories about love, loss, family, and chosen family with a truth that cut through shame and made room for joy. Since our first “meeting” all those years ago, Harvey has shown me that being gay isn’t something to apologize for—it’s something to celebrate and cherish.
After Harvey, I “met” Sandra Bernhard—a sharp, sassy, and stylish storyteller whose intelligence could slice through the noise like a knife. Existing both inside pop culture and just outside it, she pokes fun at celebrity culture while being one of its biggest (and arguably best) practitioners and beneficiaries.
With her fearless blend of comedy and commentary, Sandra doesn’t just show up—she storms the stage, the screen, and the speaker. Whether on TV, in film, or on vinyl (yes, I LOVE her albums), she doesn’t pull punches. Bernhard has carved out her own niche as an artist and performer with wit, glamour, and rock-n-roll.
Harvey and Sandra made me laugh and live.
They also made me think and feel seen.
So on their shared birthday, I raise a rainbow cupcake (or three) in honor of these two legends. Harvey Fierstein and Sandra Bernhard haven’t just entertained me—they’ve helped me find myself and live a bigger, better life.
Harvey and Sandra may not have made me queer, but they sure as hell made it easier to live a queer life.
Happy birthday, Mr. Fierstein and Ms. Bernhard. Wishing you much joy, love, and light.
Thanks for everything!
Clint Collide 🌈✌️
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FYC = LGBTQ STORIES + SUBSTACKS
ON THIS DAY = JUNE 6
BIRTHDAYS
1756 = John Trumbull = American soldier and painter
1834 = Annie Adams Fields = American writer 🌈
1875 = Thomas Mann = German writer 🌈
1885 = A’Lelia Walker = American entrepreneur and arts patron 🌈
1894 = Violet Trefusis = English writer and socialite 🌈
1936 = Levi Stubbs = American soul singer and lead vocalist of the Four Tops
1947 = Robert Englund = American actor
1949 = Holly Near = American singer-songwriter and activist 🌈
1952 = Harvey Fierstein = American actor and playwright 🌈
1955 = Sam Simon = American director, producer and screenwriter
1955 = Sandra Bernhard = American comedian, actor, singer, and writer 🌈
1959 = Colin Quinn = American comedian and actor
1963 = Jason Isaacs = English actor
1967 = Paul Giamatti = American actor and producer
1984 = Ty Defoe = Native American artist, activist, and writer 🌈
EVENTS
1844 = The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London.
1889 = The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle.
1892 = The Chicago "L" elevated rail system begins operation.
1933 = The first drive-in theater opens in Camden, New Jersey.
1978 = 20/20 premieres on ABC.
1998 = Sex And The City premieres on HBO.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
D-Day Invasion Anniversary
Pride Month (ongoing)
PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Like a gaudy East Indian purse; outrageous in color, embroidered in cliché design, the worth of these plays lies ultimately in the tiny mirrors woven into the fabric wherein we catch our reflections…. Any little thing that makes you feel less alone is what and why these plays are.”
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Triology (Author’s Note)
The title of this post cracked me up and triggered a memory: I used to tell my mother, rest in peace, that she turned me gay because when I was a little kid, she used to take me to the hairdressers' with her.😆
Let's also rejoice that on Sunday's Tony Awards ceremony (y'know, gay Superbowl), Mr. F. will receive the Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Award, after having won four competitive Tonys throughout his career. By the way, this is the first sentence of your post: "I was today years old..." Care to be more specific, Clint? Smile, dear heart.