SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church on Tuesday compared the struggle of gays and lesbians to the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

The Rev. Gene Robinson is in Sacramento this week to hold church services.

Robinson spoke to a large crowd at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral on Tuesday morning.

"Most of what I've learned about our movement I've learned from the American civil rights movement in this country. And those people went out and paid their dues for civil rights, knowing they're going to be shot, and fire hoses and tear gas and maybe death," Robinson said.

He urged parishioners from the gay and lesbian community to "toughen up."

"And so you and I, especially if you are in the LGBT community, you and I need to toughen up. And we need to expect suffering," Robinson said.

There were no protesters at the event.

Robinson will speak at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Crest Theatre after a screening of "For The Bible Tells Me So." The bishop is featured in the documentary, which focuses on relations between the gay and lesbian community and Christian churches.

He will also take part in the Eucharist and preach at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral on Wednesday morning.

Robinson, whose appointment has created controversy within his church, was legally joined to partner Mark Andrew in a private civil union in June. The ceremony took place five years to the day after New Hampshire Episcopalians elected him bishop.

He recently penned a book about the controversy surrounding his election called "In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center by God."

The church controversy led the San Joaquin diocese to split from the Episcopal Church.