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Harvey Fierstein Says He's Still Unsure of His Gender Identity

Harvey Fierstein Says He's Still Unsure of His Gender Identity

Harvey Fierstein Says He’s Still Unsure of His Gender Identity

The entertainment legend discusses his identity and career in his new memoir, I Was Better Last Night.

Harvey Fierstein revealed he still has questions about his gender identity.

The beloved and award-winning actor, playwright, and screenwriter made the revelation in a recent interview with People to discuss his new memoir, I Was Better Last Night.

"I'm still confused as to whether I'm a man or a woman," Fierstein told the magazine.

As a child, the creator of Torch Song Trilogy had a lot of questions, saying he sometimes felt out of place in his body. Thankfully, many of those questions were answered when he learned about being gay.

"When I was a kid, I was attracted to men," Fierstein recalled. "I didn't feel like a boy was supposed to feel. Then I found out about gay. So that was enough for me for then."

Fierstein also revealed he has given thought to whether he should identify as nonbinary.

"I don't know who I am," he asked. "You wanna tell me who I am?"

Despite the confusion, Fierstein indicated he hasn't lost much sleep over the question.

"But let's put it this way," a smiling Fierstein said. "I don't think I've missed anything by not making up my mind."

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In I Was Better Last Night, Fierstein recalls his career from a struggling New York actor to his life now with four Tony Awards and multiple other accolades. He discusses his relationships and experiences with actors like his Mrs. Doubtfire costar Robin Williams to his various performances including Hairspray and more.

Fierstein also revealed that his early days in drag helped his brother's love life.

"From the very beginning of my career, my brother would bring a date to see the show and decide whether this was somebody that he would be interested in or not," he recalled. "Because if they freaked out that his brother was a drag queen and, you know, doing this kind of stuff, then it, he wasn't, they weren't for him!"

Fierstein used the occasion of I Was Better Last Night to positively reflect on his life, career, and the possibilities of drag.

"I'm 69 years old, and still everything's possible," Fierstein said. "I can get up tomorrow if I wanted to, and shave really close and put on a bunch of makeup and walk around my town and see what that's like. Having done drag as many years as I've done drag, I know it's a lot of f--king work to be pretty."

I Was Better Last Night goes on sale March 1, 2022.

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