He nevertheless remained highly critical of the mainstream gay rights movement, and took controversial and, at times, divisive positions, including his consistent support of the
North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) being included in Pride parades.
[11] When speaking at the 1983
Gay Academic Union forum at
New York University, his speech included, "If the parents and friends of gays are truly friends of gays, they would know from their gay kids that the relationship with an older man is precisely what thirteen-, fourteen-, and fifteen-year-old kids need more than anything else in the world", as well as highlighting his own relationship with an adult man when he was fourteen, saying "I send to all of you my love and deep affection for what you offer to the boys, in honor of this boy when he was fourteen, and when he needed to know best of all what only another gay man could show him and tell him".
[8][9] He continued to speak on panels at NAMBLA events in 1984 and 1986, and at the 1986
Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade he wore two signs; on his front one that read "
Valerie Terrigno walks with me", referring to the politician who agreed to withdraw from the event lest being barred, and on his back "NAMBLA Walks With Me",
[189][10] after organizers banned the pedophile advocacy group from joining the march.