"Well, it's not as easy as all that," said Near. "They've come out very slowly and gracefully, if you actually look at it. But I don't think they could have done it any differently and still be accepted by the mainstream. It's not that easy and automatically accepted yet. They're very brave, and they are exceptions rather than the rule. I almost feel a twinge of maternal tenderness when I see these people come out, because I was part of it, and I know how difficult it is."
As for Near, she's happy with the relatively small but lovingly devoted following she has earned over the years. She refuses to make overtures toward mass acceptance if that means compromising either her political ideals or her musical creativity.
