Simon LeVay, 10/01/12

Author, 'Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation'

One of the commonest questions I get is this: If being gay is genetic, and gay sex doesn't produce children, why don't those genes die out?

Amelia, 10/01/12

Mother, wife, partner, and breadwinner

Since our son announced he was gay, we have been fighting for his right to be himself. We make sure those in our life and his are on board, and he's never given the message that something is wrong with him.

Jenni Chang and Lisa Dazols, 10/01/12

Travelers in search of the world's 'Supergays,' blogging at OutAndAround.com

I've been calling Jenni my partner now for a year and a half. Somewhere around the time we rented our first UHaul truck, I shifted the label from "girlfriend" to "partner."

Nico Lang, 10/01/12

Co-Creator and Co-Editor, In Our Words

As gay parenting is the central subject of the show, The New Normal is (whether I like it or not) a landmark show, and how Murphy defines "the new normal" will matter to same-gender parents everywhere.

Cyd Zeigler, 10/01/12

Co-founder, Outsports.com

The stereotype of professional athletes as homophobic is as outdated as the stereotype of gay men as theater queens. Men like Chris Kluwe are becoming the norm, not the exception.

Josh A. Goodman, 10/01/12

Counseling psychology graduate student at the University of California Santa Barbara

A new law banning conversion therapy for minors in California will spare numerous kids from having to endure yet another toxic environment and, in some cases, may help to save their lives.

Rick Jacobs, 10/01/12

Chair of the 750,000-member Courage Campaign

It's time for the LGBT communities to line up to oppose Prop. 32. You may have mixed feelings about labor unions, but the evidence is clear: If we lose organized labor as a funded political ally in California,the LGBT movement is in big trouble.

Rev. Meg Riley, 10/01/12

Senior Minister, Church of the Larger Fellowship

I'm on the road this week, out east, not in Minnesota. Not doing anything about the fast-approaching election. I've had a little time to reflect from a different angle.

Joanne Spataro, 10/01/12

Freelance Journalist and Speaker

Stereotyping Honey Boo Boo and her family would make me just as bad as small-minded people who condemn all gay people. And the family is not stupid and proud of it.

Charlie Maffei, 10/01/12

aka CharlieTheMatchmaker

Dating is not an exact science. A lot of it has to do attraction, but if you find yourself failing to get date number two, maybe you have to start doing things differently.

Kate Gale, 10/01/12

Managing Editor, Red Hen Press

Everywhere I go, I meet people who also have a lesbian daughter. I'm starting to think that my part of the planet is simply adrift with young lesbian women.

Jackie Gardina, 10/01/12

Professor, Vermont Law School

I thought our country had had this conversation. There was a time in our not too distant past that we allowed businesses to hang signs on their doors that said "Whites Only," where businesses were free to refuse service to individuals based solely on the color of their skin.

Gary Nelson, 10/01/12

Blogger, now walking barefoot

There were some friends of mine who stopped coming to our house, for fear they might catch something. One of them actually told me that they wouldn't be coming over as long as Robert was there. If I wanted to meet him somewhere, that would be fine.

Jonathan Zeng, 09/30/12

Singer

I came to realize that being gay is not a reason to feel guilt or shame. I was created in God's image just as much as any straight person. Finally, I had peace. The guilt and shame left me. My love for music did not.

Joe Kort, Ph.D., 09/28/12

Psychotherapist, sexologist, and relationship therapist; founder, Center for Relationship and Sexual Health www.crsh.com

At least as a Jew I could have turned to my family, friends or school if I had experienced an anti-Semitic attack. But as a little gay boy, I had nowhere to turn. I was bullied, spit at, punched, called names, humiliated and threatened.

Trish Bendix, 09/28/12

Managing Editor, AfterEllen.com

NBC's series about a support group has one of the best lesbian characters on TV, as played by Julie White. This week, she took Matthew Perry's character to a lesbian wedding and everyone thought he was Rachel Maddow.

Arianna Huffington, 09/28/12

In this week's issue of Huffington, Lila Shapiro puts the spotlight on the small but robust gay contingent within the GOP.