Throughout My Life, I Have Grappled With

As I Climbed The Electoral Ladder - From State Assemblyman To Mayor Of Woodbridge And Finally To Governor Of New Jersey - Political Compromises Came Easy To Me Because I'd Learned How To Keep A Part Of Myself Innocent Of Them.

When I Came Out Publicly, Some Photo Editors Had A Field Day Searching For Pictures Of Me With A Limp Wrist Or Some Other Stereotypical Gay Signifier - As Though, After Decades In The Public Eye, They'd Suddenly Come Across A Trove Of Shots Where I Looked Like A Cher Impersonator.

I'm On The Board Of A National Group Called Faith In America. It's Designed To Fight Religious-based Bigotry.

As A Child, Recognizing My Difference From Other Kids, I Went To The Local Public Library To Try To Better Understand My Reality. Back Then, Many Library Card Catalogues Didn't Even List 'homosexuality' As A Topic.

Throughout My Life, I Have Grappled With My Own Identity, Who I Am. As A Young Child, I Often Felt Ambivalent About Myself; In Fact, Confused.