Time & Perspective Quote by Harvey Fierstein

Redefinition is the polite word Fierstein uses for panic-management. Coming from an actor and longtime gay icon, the line lands less like culture-war crankery and more like backstage honesty: the cast has expanded, the script is changing mid-show, and everyone is still finding their marks.

“Drowning in diversity” is deliberately tactile and a little rude. It borrows the language of being overwhelmed, the feeling of too much input at once, then yanks it away from the usual reactionary conclusion. Fierstein preempts the dog whistle with a quick pivot: “That’s not a bad thing.” The subtext is, you can be pro-diversity and still admit that pluralism creates logistical and emotional noise. Communities don’t automatically become coherent just because they become inclusive; they have to renegotiate norms, leadership, and language in real time.

The quote also reflects a generational vantage point. Fierstein came up in an era when marginalized people often had to present a unified front to survive politically and culturally. Today’s identity landscape is messier, more granular, less interested in one umbrella narrative. His “refocus” hints at a desire for shared priorities after a period of rapid expansion: not fewer voices, but some agreement on what the collective is trying to do.

Intent-wise, it’s a plea for patience and internal discipline, not a retreat. He’s arguing that representation is the opening act; the hard part is building a workable “we” without flattening anyone back into silence.