“As JC Penney focuses on becoming America’s favorite store, we want to be a store for all Americans. In celebration of Father’s Day, we’re proud that our June book honors men from diverse backgrounds who all share the joy of fatherhood.”

Joey Thomas, JC Penney media relations manager, on the inclusion of two gay dads in the department store’s new catalog. JC Penney previously outraged anti-gay groups by selecting Ellen DeGeneres  as its new spokesperson and featuring a lesbian couple in its May catalog. (MyFox8.com, June 3)

“’Truth’ is our small chance to ask that you try and understand someone who lives their life in a way that is a little bit different from yours, even though all of our hearts are the same. We want to stop the hate and find understanding.”

— Music star Janet Jackson on why she is serving as executive director for “Truth,” a documentary about transgender people and their fight for equality. (Advocate.com, June 4)

Outspoken: Jason Alexander, JC Penney, Queen Latifah and more…

“I’ve never dealt with the question of my personal life in public. It’s just not gonna happen.”

— Actor and singer Queen Latifah, explaining that it “definitely wasn’t the case” that she came out when performing at Long Beach Gay Pride last month, while adding, “To me, doing a gay pride show is one of the most fun things.” (Entertainment Weekly, June 1)

“It’s not like a manly baseball pitch; it’s a queer British gay pitch.”

— Actor Jason Alexander, known for his work on “Seinfeld,” criticizing the sport of cricket in a recent interview. (Huffington Post, June 4)

“My daily life is filled with gay men and women, both socially and professionally. I am profoundly aware of the challenges these friends of mine face and I have openly advocated on their behalf. So, I can only apologize and I do.”

Jason Alexander, apologizing for his remarks in a statement distributed by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Huffington Post, June 4)