Lea DeLaria: 'I Say Queer. Queer Is For Everybody'

The hit show Orange is the New Black (OITNB) returns for a fourth season June 17 on Netflix, and one of the many reasons why you should subscribe (or ask a friend for their username) is to watch Lea DeLaria's Big Boo, the sensitive butch lesbian.

In an interview with PrideSource, our favorite tuxedo-wearing comedienne cracks out a good laugh --and a good read.

DeLaria shares memories of making gay history on the The Arsenio Hall Show, and how she tries to stick to who she is despite fame:

"I made the decision very early on in my life that I'm going to be friendly and charming the way I am," she says. "I don't want to lock myself in my room. I just don't want to do that, so I'm out all the time."

The actress goes on to explain that her character in the popular Netflix show has opened the doors to those in the butch lesbian community who have felt misunderstood:

"I've had really hard ass butches cry when they talk to me, which is... trust me, it's hard for us to cry. So finally somebody is putting out there who we actually are," she says.

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She also recalls the time she made history as the first openly-gay comedian to perform on The Arsenio Hall Show:

"(I was) Scared as shit! Terrified, just terrified. All I could think was, 'What if I bomb?' And I had 20/20 following me. So I wasn't just doing The Arsenio Hall Show -- I was doing fucking 20/20."

DeLaria adds that she's not into the LGBT+ acronym, as it keeps us divided. Instead, she'd like everyone to work together as one "queer" community:

"This is the biggest issue we have in the queer community to date and will continue to be the biggest issue until we learn to accept our differences, and that's the issue," she notes. "And part of me believes that this inclusivity of calling us the LGBTQQTY-whatever-LMNOP tends to stress our differences. And that's why I refuse to do it. I say queer. Queer is everybody."

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Season 4

Read the full interview at PrideSource.com