Harvey Fierstein is a Broadway theatre legend. He is 73 years old. He has won five Tony Awards. You recognise him immediately by his unique, raspy voice.

Fierstein became famous with the play Torch Song Trilogy. This play is about a gay man searching for love and acceptance. Later he appeared in major films. Think Mrs Doubtfire and Independence Day. But fame came with a price.

These days you often find him in a quilt shop in Connecticut. The shop is called Cotton Candy Fabrics. The walls are covered with colourful fabrics. Beautiful quilts hang from the ceiling. Fierstein started quilting in 2009. He enjoyed watching the TV programme Simply Quilts. But there was another reason too.

He wanted to make quilts for friends who had died from AIDS. Those quilts would be displayed in Washington DC. This project is called the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Fierstein has made many quilts since then. One of his quilts is about LGBTQ+ rights. That quilt has pink triangles on it. The pink triangle is an important symbol for the LGBTQ+ community.

Fierstein also speaks openly about addiction. He says recovery takes considerable time. 'If you stop drinking or using drugs, it takes five years to clear your head,' he says. This is an honest message for many people in the community. LGBTQ+ people often struggle with addiction. This sometimes comes from rejection and discrimination.

He also talks about loss. Many of his friends died during the AIDS crisis. That crisis hit the LGBTQ+ community hard. Fierstein has never forgotten this grief. He carries it with him in his work and his quilts.

Fierstein is also politically active. He is critical of Donald Trump's politics. He believes LGBTQ+ rights are under pressure. He wants to wake people up. His voice, his theatre work and his quilts are all ways to fight for equality.

Harvey Fierstein remains an important voice. He connects art, activism and personal story. That makes him unique in the LGBTQ+ world.