40 Years After Assassatn Of First Openly Gay Elected Official In California : NPR

Contents:

• BRGG PEOPLE HOPE: HARVEY MILK AND THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT AMERI
• HARVEY MILK’S GAY FREEDOM DAY SPEECH: ANNOTATED
• 40 YEARS AFTER ASSASSATN OF FIRST OPENLY GAY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN CALIFORNIA
• HARVEY MILK: A PNEER OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• HARVEY {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}HARVEY MILK BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. TRAGILLY, HE WAS KILLED THE FOLLOWG {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 20, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: BETTMANN ARCHIVE/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1930-1978){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS HARVEY MILK?GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND MUNY LEAR HARVEY MILK MA HISTORY WHEN HE BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO SAN FRANCIS'S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. HE WAS TRAGILLY SHOT AND KILLED THE FOLLOWG YEAR, AND NUMERO BOOKS AND FILMS HAVE BEEN MA ABOUT HIS LIFE.EARLY YEARSMILK WAS BORN ON MAY 22, 1930, WOODMERE, NEW YORK. REARED A SMALL MIDDLE-CLASS JEWISH FAY, MILK WAS ONE OF TWO BOYS BORN TO WILLIAM AND MERVA MILK. A WELL-ROUND, WELL-LIKED STUNT, MILK PLAYED FOOTBALL AND SANG THE OPERA AT BAY SHORE HIGH SCHOOL. LIKE HIS BROTHER, ROBERT, HE ALSO WORKED AT THE FAY PARTMENT STORE, MILK'S. AFTER GRADUATG OM THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE FOR TEACHERS 1951, MILK JOED THE U.S. NAVY, ULTIMATELY SERVG AS A DIVG STCTOR AT A BASE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, DURG THE KOREAN WAR. FOLLOWG HIS DISCHARGE 1955, MILK MOVED TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE HE WORKED A VARIETY OF JOBS, CLUDG PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, PRODUCTN ASSOCIATE FOR SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE BROADWAY MILS, STOCK ANALYST AND WALL STREET VTMENT BANKER. HE SOON TIRED OF FANCE, THOUGH, AND BEIEND GAY RADILS WHO EQUENTED GREENWICH VILLAGE.NEW LIFE SAN FRANCISIN LATE 1972, BORED WH HIS LIFE NEW YORK, MILK MOVED TO SAN FRANCIS, CALIFORNIA. THERE, HE OPENED A MERA SHOP LLED CASTRO CAMERA ON CASTRO STREET, PUTTG HIS LIFE AND WORK RIGHT THE HEART OF THE CY'S GAY MUNY. FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE, MILK HAD STAYED QUIET ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE. HE HAD KNOWN SCE HIGH SCHOOL THAT HE WAS GAY, AND EVEN THE WAKE OF AN EMERGG GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE LIBERATE AND REFUL MILK CHOSE TO REMA ON THE SIL. BUT THGS HAD STARTED TO TURN FOR HIM TOWARD THE END OF HIS TIME NEW YORK, AS HE BEIEND A NUMBER OF GAY RADILS WHO EQUENTED GREENWICH VILLAGE. IN SAN FRANCIS, HIS LIFE AND OUTSPOKEN POLICS EVOLVED EVEN FURTHER. AS CASTRO CAMERA CREASGLY BEME A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, MILK FOUND HIS VOICE AS A LEAR AND ACTIVIST. IN 1973, HE CLARED HIS NDIDACY FOR A POSN ON THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. A NOVICE POLICIAN WH LTLE MONEY, MILK LOST THE ELECTN, BUT THE EXPERIENCE DID NOT TER HIM OM TRYG AGA. TWO YEARS LATER, HE NARROWLY LOST A SEND ELECTN FOR THE SAME SEAT. BY THEN, MILK HAD BEE A POLIL FORCE—AN OUTSPOKEN LEAR THE GAY MUNY WH POLIL NNECTNS THAT CLUD SAN FRANCIS MAYOR GEE MOSNE, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER AND FUTURE CY MAYOR WILLIE BROWN AND FUTURE UNED STAT SENATOR DIANNE FESTE. IN 1977, MILK, WHO WAS KNOWN AFFECTNATELY AS THE "MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET," FALLY WON A SEAT ON THE SAN FRANCIS CY-COUNTY BOARD. HE WAS GURATED ON JANUARY 9, 1978, BEG THE CY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICER, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY DIVIDUALS TO BE ELECTED TO OFFICE THE UNED STAT. WHILE HIS MPAIGN CERTALY RPORATED GAY RIGHTS TO HIS PLATFORM, MILK ALSO WANTED TO TACKLE A WI VARIETY OF ISSU, OM CHILDRE TO HOG TO A CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD.ASSASSATNMILK'S ASCENSN HAD E AT AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR THE GAY MUNY. WHILE MANY PSYCHIATRISTS STILL NSIRED HOMOSEXUALY A MENTAL ILLNS AT THIS TIME, THE LIBERAL MOSNE HAD BEE AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF GAY RIGHTS AND HAD ABOLISHED THE CY'S ANTI-SODOMY LAW. MOSNE HAD ALSO APPOTED SEVERAL GAYS AND LBIANS TO A NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE POSNS WH SAN FRANCIS. ON THE OTHER SI OF MOSNE WAS SUPERVISOR DAN WHE, A VIETNAM VETERAN AND FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND FIREMAN, WHO WAS TROUBLED BY WHAT HE PERCEIVED AS A BREAKDOWN TRADNAL VALU AND A GROWG TOLERANCE OF HOMOSEXUALY. ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS CY-COUNTY BOARD 1977, HE EQUENTLY CLASHED WH THE MORE LIBERAL MILK ON POLICY ISSU. A YEAR AFTER HIS ELECTN, 1978, WHE RIGNED OM THE BOARD, CG THAT HIS SALARY OF $9,600 WASN'T ENOUGH TO SUPPORT HIS FAY. BUT WHE WAS PRODD ON BY HIS POLICE SUPPORTERS AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED HIS MD REGARDG HIS RIGNATN AND ASKED MOSNE TO REAPPOT HIM. THE MAYOR REFED, HOWEVER, ENURAGED BY MILK AND OTHERS TO FILL WHE'S SPOT WH A MORE LIBERAL BOARD MEMBER. FOR WHE, WHO WAS NVCED THAT MEN LIKE MOSNE AND MILK WERE DRIVG HIS CY "DOWNHILL," WAS A VASTATG BLOW. ON NOVEMBER 27, 1978, WHE ENTERED CY HALL WH A LOAD .38 REVOLVER. HE AVOID THE METAL TECTORS BY ENTERG THROUGH A BASEMENT WDOW THAT HAD BEEN NEGLIGENTLY LEFT OPEN FOR VENTILATN. HIS FIRST STOP WAS AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WHERE HE AND MOSNE BEGAN ARGUG, EVENTUALLY MOVG TO A PRIVATE ROOM SO THAT THEY ULD NOT BE HEARD. ONCE THERE, MOSNE AGA REFED TO RE-APPOT WHE, AND WHE SHOT THE MAYOR TWICE THE CHT AND TWICE THE HEAD. WHE THEN WENT DOWN THE RRIDOR AND SHOT MILK, TWICE THE CHT, ONCE THE BACK AND TWICE AGA THE HEAD. SOON AFTER, HE TURNED HIMSELF AT THE POLICE STATN WHERE HE ED TO WORK.DAN WHE'S TRIALWHE'S TRIAL WAS MARKED BY WHAT ME TO BE KNOWN AS THE "TWKIE FENSE," AS HIS LAWYERS CLAIMED THAT THE NORMALLY STABLE WHE HAD GROWN SLOVENLY PRR TO THE SHOOTGS DUE TO ABANDONG HIS UALLY HEALTHY DIET AND STEAD DULGG SUGARY JUNK FOOD SUCH AS COKE, DOUGHNUTS AND TWKI. IN A SURPRISG MOVE, A JURY NVICTED WHE OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER RATHER THAN MURR, AND WHE WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY SERVE JT SIX YEARS PRISON. IN 1985, A YEAR AFTER HIS RELEASE, A DISTRSED WHE MTED SUICI. AS A RULT OF WHE'S DOWNGRAD NVICTN, PEACEFUL MONSTRATNS BY CASTRO'S GAY MUNY OUTSI CY HALL TURNED VLENT. MORE THAN 5,000 POLICEMEN RPOND BY ENTERG NIGHTCLUBS ARMED WH TNCHEONS AND ASSLTG PATRONS. BY THE RT'S END, 124 PEOPLE WERE JURED, CLUDG 59 POLICEMEN. THIS EPISO IS KNOWN HISTORY AS "THE WHE NIGHT RTS."MOVIE IN THE YEARS SCE THE KILLGS, MILK'S LEGACY AS A LEAR AND PNEER HAS ENDURED, WH NUMERO BOOKS AND FILMS MA ABOUT HIS LIFE. IN 2008, {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}SEAN PENN STARRED AS MILK THE ACCLAIMED BPIC MILK. PENN END UP WNG THE 2009 AMY AWARD FOR BT ACTOR FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF THE SLA POLICIAN.U.S. NAVY SHIPIN JULY 2016, THE U.S. NAVY ANNOUNCED WOULD BE NAMG A YET-TO-BE NSTCTED TANKER AFTER MILK HIS HONOR. THE SHIP WOULD BE LLED THE USNS HARVEY MILK. MILK'S NEPHEW PRAISED THE CISN, SAYG WOULD SEND "A GREEN LIGHT TO ALL THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR NATN: THAT HONTY AND THENTICY ARE HELD UP AMONG THE HIGHT IALS OF OF NATN'S ARY".SAN FRANCIS POLICIAN STT WIENER ALSO CELEBRATED THE ANNOUNCEMENT. "WHEN HARVEY MILK SERVED THE ARY, HE ULDN'T TELL ANYONE WHO HE TLY WAS," HE WROTE A STATEMENT. "NOW OUR UNTRY IS TELLG THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD, THAT WE HONOR AND SUPPORT PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE."HOWEVER, SOME CRICS ARGUE THAT MILK WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED SUCH AN HONOR, CG MILK WAS OPPOSED TO THE VIETNAM WAR. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: HARVEY MILKBIRTH YEAR: 1930BIRTH DATE: MAY 22, 1930BIRTH STATE: NEW YORKBIRTH CY: WOODMEREBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: HARVEY MILK BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. TRAGILLY, HE WAS KILLED THE FOLLOWG YEAR.INDTRIU.S. POLICSASTROLOGIL SIGN: GEMISCHOOLSBAY SHORE HIGH SCHOOLNEW YORK STATE COLLEGE FOR TEACHERS ALBANYDEATH YEAR: 1978DEATH DATE: NOVEMBER 27, 1978DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: SAN FRANCISDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK
• GAY RIGHTS
• GAV NEWSOM F SCHOOL DISTRICT $1.5 LN FOR REJECTG MATERIALS MENTNG GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST

BRGG PEOPLE HOPE: HARVEY MILK AND THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT AMERI

The send son of William and Merva Milk, he me om a fay wh proment ti to the muny: His Lhuanian-born grandfather Morris owned Milk’s Dry Goods, which beme the largt partment store on Long Island, and had helped anize the area’s first realized he was gay at an early age, and reportedly was dulgg his sir wh illic trysts by his early teens. Partly spired by what he viewed as an unfair tax on small bs, he cid to n for a seat on the San Francis Board of Supervisors was spurned by much of the cy’s more fluential gay electorate, who felt the outspoken New Yorker should tone down his act and wa his turn.

Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagSupervisor Harvey Milk Undnted by his electn loss, Milk found the San Francis Gay Democratic Club to garner more polil support, and succsfully phed for a reanizatn of the Board of Supervisors electn om a cywi, at-large format to a geographil district format. Returng to the mpaign trail 1977, he sought to broan his appeal beyond the gay muny through promis to reform the tax to boost dtry, create low-e hog and tablish day re centers for workg mothers.

That November, an historic electn that also saw the first Che Amerin and the first Ain Amerin woman elected to the cy’s Board of Supervisors, Milk beme one of the untry’s first openly gay elected Rights Legislatn Demonstratg his penchant for urtg publicy, Milk -sponsored a “pooper-soper” ordance that required dog owners to clean up after their pets. As supervisor, he also dove to more personal matters by spearheadg a bill to ban discrimatn employment, hog and public acmodatns based on sexual orientatn, one of the natn’s strongt gay-rights measur to date. Followg California State Senator John Briggs’s troductn of the Proposn 6 ballot iative, which sought to ban gay teachers and anyone supportg gay rights om workg California schools, Milk spent much of the summer and fall of 1978 mpaigng agast the iative.

HARVEY MILK’S GAY FREEDOM DAY SPEECH: ANNOTATED

” Addnally, more elected officials, cludg Massachetts Congrsman Gerry Studds and Barney Frank, me forth to acknowledge their homosexualy durg this subsequent years, Milk’s name was attached to a seri of schools, buildgs and public centers throughout California.

40 YEARS AFTER ASSASSATN OF FIRST OPENLY GAY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN CALIFORNIA

Harvey Milk, was a visnary civil and human rights lear who beme one of the first openly gay elected officials the Uned Stat when he won a seat on the San Francis Board of Supervisors 1977. Milk’s unprecented loud and unapologetic proclamatn of his thenticy as an openly gay ndidate for public office, and his subsequent electn gave never before experienced hope to Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr (LGBT) people everywhere at a time when the muny was enunterg wispread hostily and discrimatn. After some area merchants tried to prevent two gay men om openg a store, Milk and a few other bs owners found the Castro Village Associatn, a first the natn anizg of predomantly LGBT bs, wh Milk as print.

His amb reform agenda clud protectg gay rights—he sponsored an important anti-discrimatn bill—as well as tablishg day re centers for workg mothers, the nversn of ary facili the cy to low-st hog, reform of the tax to attract dtry to serted wareho and factori, and other issu. He pneered the buildg of alns between diverse groups-women, asians, hispanics, the disabled-and even brought together the teamsters and gay bar owners— return for a pledge om the teamsters to hire more gay drivers, Milk asked bar owners to stop sellg beer om certa distributors while drivers were strikg.

HARVEY MILK: A PNEER OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

In the years sce Milk’s assassatn, public opn has shifted on gay marriage, gays the ary, and other issu, and there have been hundreds of openly LGBT public officials Ameri, yet the work ntu.

His populary grew when he challenged the cy’s gay learship, which he thought was too nservative s attempts to ga greater polil rights for 1973 Milk ran for a seat on the cy’s Board of Supervisors but was feated.

HARVEY {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}HARVEY MILK BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. TRAGILLY, HE WAS KILLED THE FOLLOWG {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 20, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: BETTMANN ARCHIVE/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1930-1978){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS HARVEY MILK?GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND MUNY LEAR HARVEY MILK MA HISTORY WHEN HE BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO SAN FRANCIS'S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. HE WAS TRAGILLY SHOT AND KILLED THE FOLLOWG YEAR, AND NUMERO BOOKS AND FILMS HAVE BEEN MA ABOUT HIS LIFE.EARLY YEARSMILK WAS BORN ON MAY 22, 1930, WOODMERE, NEW YORK. REARED A SMALL MIDDLE-CLASS JEWISH FAY, MILK WAS ONE OF TWO BOYS BORN TO WILLIAM AND MERVA MILK. A WELL-ROUND, WELL-LIKED STUNT, MILK PLAYED FOOTBALL AND SANG THE OPERA AT BAY SHORE HIGH SCHOOL. LIKE HIS BROTHER, ROBERT, HE ALSO WORKED AT THE FAY PARTMENT STORE, MILK'S. AFTER GRADUATG OM THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE FOR TEACHERS 1951, MILK JOED THE U.S. NAVY, ULTIMATELY SERVG AS A DIVG STCTOR AT A BASE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, DURG THE KOREAN WAR. FOLLOWG HIS DISCHARGE 1955, MILK MOVED TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE HE WORKED A VARIETY OF JOBS, CLUDG PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, PRODUCTN ASSOCIATE FOR SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE BROADWAY MILS, STOCK ANALYST AND WALL STREET VTMENT BANKER. HE SOON TIRED OF FANCE, THOUGH, AND BEIEND GAY RADILS WHO EQUENTED GREENWICH VILLAGE.NEW LIFE SAN FRANCISIN LATE 1972, BORED WH HIS LIFE NEW YORK, MILK MOVED TO SAN FRANCIS, CALIFORNIA. THERE, HE OPENED A MERA SHOP LLED CASTRO CAMERA ON CASTRO STREET, PUTTG HIS LIFE AND WORK RIGHT THE HEART OF THE CY'S GAY MUNY. FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE, MILK HAD STAYED QUIET ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE. HE HAD KNOWN SCE HIGH SCHOOL THAT HE WAS GAY, AND EVEN THE WAKE OF AN EMERGG GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE LIBERATE AND REFUL MILK CHOSE TO REMA ON THE SIL. BUT THGS HAD STARTED TO TURN FOR HIM TOWARD THE END OF HIS TIME NEW YORK, AS HE BEIEND A NUMBER OF GAY RADILS WHO EQUENTED GREENWICH VILLAGE. IN SAN FRANCIS, HIS LIFE AND OUTSPOKEN POLICS EVOLVED EVEN FURTHER. AS CASTRO CAMERA CREASGLY BEME A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, MILK FOUND HIS VOICE AS A LEAR AND ACTIVIST. IN 1973, HE CLARED HIS NDIDACY FOR A POSN ON THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. A NOVICE POLICIAN WH LTLE MONEY, MILK LOST THE ELECTN, BUT THE EXPERIENCE DID NOT TER HIM OM TRYG AGA. TWO YEARS LATER, HE NARROWLY LOST A SEND ELECTN FOR THE SAME SEAT. BY THEN, MILK HAD BEE A POLIL FORCE—AN OUTSPOKEN LEAR THE GAY MUNY WH POLIL NNECTNS THAT CLUD SAN FRANCIS MAYOR GEE MOSNE, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER AND FUTURE CY MAYOR WILLIE BROWN AND FUTURE UNED STAT SENATOR DIANNE FESTE. IN 1977, MILK, WHO WAS KNOWN AFFECTNATELY AS THE "MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET," FALLY WON A SEAT ON THE SAN FRANCIS CY-COUNTY BOARD. HE WAS GURATED ON JANUARY 9, 1978, BEG THE CY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICER, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY DIVIDUALS TO BE ELECTED TO OFFICE THE UNED STAT. WHILE HIS MPAIGN CERTALY RPORATED GAY RIGHTS TO HIS PLATFORM, MILK ALSO WANTED TO TACKLE A WI VARIETY OF ISSU, OM CHILDRE TO HOG TO A CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD.ASSASSATNMILK'S ASCENSN HAD E AT AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR THE GAY MUNY. WHILE MANY PSYCHIATRISTS STILL NSIRED HOMOSEXUALY A MENTAL ILLNS AT THIS TIME, THE LIBERAL MOSNE HAD BEE AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF GAY RIGHTS AND HAD ABOLISHED THE CY'S ANTI-SODOMY LAW. MOSNE HAD ALSO APPOTED SEVERAL GAYS AND LBIANS TO A NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE POSNS WH SAN FRANCIS. ON THE OTHER SI OF MOSNE WAS SUPERVISOR DAN WHE, A VIETNAM VETERAN AND FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND FIREMAN, WHO WAS TROUBLED BY WHAT HE PERCEIVED AS A BREAKDOWN TRADNAL VALU AND A GROWG TOLERANCE OF HOMOSEXUALY. ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS CY-COUNTY BOARD 1977, HE EQUENTLY CLASHED WH THE MORE LIBERAL MILK ON POLICY ISSU. A YEAR AFTER HIS ELECTN, 1978, WHE RIGNED OM THE BOARD, CG THAT HIS SALARY OF $9,600 WASN'T ENOUGH TO SUPPORT HIS FAY. BUT WHE WAS PRODD ON BY HIS POLICE SUPPORTERS AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED HIS MD REGARDG HIS RIGNATN AND ASKED MOSNE TO REAPPOT HIM. THE MAYOR REFED, HOWEVER, ENURAGED BY MILK AND OTHERS TO FILL WHE'S SPOT WH A MORE LIBERAL BOARD MEMBER. FOR WHE, WHO WAS NVCED THAT MEN LIKE MOSNE AND MILK WERE DRIVG HIS CY "DOWNHILL," WAS A VASTATG BLOW. ON NOVEMBER 27, 1978, WHE ENTERED CY HALL WH A LOAD .38 REVOLVER. HE AVOID THE METAL TECTORS BY ENTERG THROUGH A BASEMENT WDOW THAT HAD BEEN NEGLIGENTLY LEFT OPEN FOR VENTILATN. HIS FIRST STOP WAS AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WHERE HE AND MOSNE BEGAN ARGUG, EVENTUALLY MOVG TO A PRIVATE ROOM SO THAT THEY ULD NOT BE HEARD. ONCE THERE, MOSNE AGA REFED TO RE-APPOT WHE, AND WHE SHOT THE MAYOR TWICE THE CHT AND TWICE THE HEAD. WHE THEN WENT DOWN THE RRIDOR AND SHOT MILK, TWICE THE CHT, ONCE THE BACK AND TWICE AGA THE HEAD. SOON AFTER, HE TURNED HIMSELF AT THE POLICE STATN WHERE HE ED TO WORK.DAN WHE'S TRIALWHE'S TRIAL WAS MARKED BY WHAT ME TO BE KNOWN AS THE "TWKIE FENSE," AS HIS LAWYERS CLAIMED THAT THE NORMALLY STABLE WHE HAD GROWN SLOVENLY PRR TO THE SHOOTGS DUE TO ABANDONG HIS UALLY HEALTHY DIET AND STEAD DULGG SUGARY JUNK FOOD SUCH AS COKE, DOUGHNUTS AND TWKI. IN A SURPRISG MOVE, A JURY NVICTED WHE OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER RATHER THAN MURR, AND WHE WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY SERVE JT SIX YEARS PRISON. IN 1985, A YEAR AFTER HIS RELEASE, A DISTRSED WHE MTED SUICI. AS A RULT OF WHE'S DOWNGRAD NVICTN, PEACEFUL MONSTRATNS BY CASTRO'S GAY MUNY OUTSI CY HALL TURNED VLENT. MORE THAN 5,000 POLICEMEN RPOND BY ENTERG NIGHTCLUBS ARMED WH TNCHEONS AND ASSLTG PATRONS. BY THE RT'S END, 124 PEOPLE WERE JURED, CLUDG 59 POLICEMEN. THIS EPISO IS KNOWN HISTORY AS "THE WHE NIGHT RTS."MOVIE IN THE YEARS SCE THE KILLGS, MILK'S LEGACY AS A LEAR AND PNEER HAS ENDURED, WH NUMERO BOOKS AND FILMS MA ABOUT HIS LIFE. IN 2008, {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}SEAN PENN STARRED AS MILK THE ACCLAIMED BPIC MILK. PENN END UP WNG THE 2009 AMY AWARD FOR BT ACTOR FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF THE SLA POLICIAN.U.S. NAVY SHIPIN JULY 2016, THE U.S. NAVY ANNOUNCED WOULD BE NAMG A YET-TO-BE NSTCTED TANKER AFTER MILK HIS HONOR. THE SHIP WOULD BE LLED THE USNS HARVEY MILK. MILK'S NEPHEW PRAISED THE CISN, SAYG WOULD SEND "A GREEN LIGHT TO ALL THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR NATN: THAT HONTY AND THENTICY ARE HELD UP AMONG THE HIGHT IALS OF OF NATN'S ARY".SAN FRANCIS POLICIAN STT WIENER ALSO CELEBRATED THE ANNOUNCEMENT. "WHEN HARVEY MILK SERVED THE ARY, HE ULDN'T TELL ANYONE WHO HE TLY WAS," HE WROTE A STATEMENT. "NOW OUR UNTRY IS TELLG THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD, THAT WE HONOR AND SUPPORT PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE."HOWEVER, SOME CRICS ARGUE THAT MILK WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED SUCH AN HONOR, CG MILK WAS OPPOSED TO THE VIETNAM WAR. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: HARVEY MILKBIRTH YEAR: 1930BIRTH DATE: MAY 22, 1930BIRTH STATE: NEW YORKBIRTH CY: WOODMEREBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: HARVEY MILK BEME ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OFFICIALS THE UNED STAT 1977 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. TRAGILLY, HE WAS KILLED THE FOLLOWG YEAR.INDTRIU.S. POLICSASTROLOGIL SIGN: GEMISCHOOLSBAY SHORE HIGH SCHOOLNEW YORK STATE COLLEGE FOR TEACHERS ALBANYDEATH YEAR: 1978DEATH DATE: NOVEMBER 27, 1978DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: SAN FRANCISDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK

Navy vsel to be named for an openly gay person, and at the ship’s christeng Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said, “For far too long, sailors like Litenant Junr Gra Milk were forced to the shadows or, worse yet, forced out of our beloved Navy.

GAY RIGHTS

Though Milk was assassated 11 months after he was elected to office, his legacy of fightg for gay rights has spired a new generatn of civic activists across the Uned Stat, fightg for sexual equaly and the expansn of civil liberti for gays and lbians. Acrdg to Milk, “There is a major difference – and remas a val difference – between a iend and a gay person, a iend office and a gay person office…It’s not enough anymore jt to have iends reprent .

After losg his first three mpaigns, Milk was elected Supervisor of the cy of San Francis 1977, and as the first openly gay man elected to public office the Uned Stat, Harvey Milk had already reached a tone the fight for gay rights. Milk sought not only to change the stereotyp that existed about gays, but to also promote a legal amework that supports gays, cludg the passage of a gay rights bill, and speakg out agast a barrage of legislatn which would rtrict gays’ civil and polil liberti.

GAV NEWSOM F SCHOOL DISTRICT $1.5 LN FOR REJECTG MATERIALS MENTNG GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST

Once Milk was swept up the unter-culture of the 1960s and the gay rights liberatn movement 1972, he was surprised that spe the large gay populatn San Francis, immense equali still existed. Perhaps the bt example of this me durg a speech Milk ma at the June 1978 Gay Freedom Day Para, where he clared, “On the Statue of Liberty says: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled mass yearng to be ee…’ In the Declaratn of Inpennce, is wrten: ‘All men are created equal and they are endowed wh certa alienable rights…’ And our Natnal Anthem, says: ‘Oh, say do that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave over the land of the ee.

To highlight his unrlyg drive for equal opportuny, Milk would often reference two gay teenagers who ntacted him om Richmond, Mnota and Altoona, Pennsylvania: “The only thg they have to look forward to is hope. Even though Jimmy Carter had bee print 1976 on a platform that supported human rights, and many stat had place laws that protected gays and lbians om discrimatn, a nservative opposn began to rerce anti-gay stereotyp. Th, the gay rights movement lnched a grassroots effort to elect Milk to San Francis’s Board of Supervisors; while his first attempts were unsuccsful, Milk gradually began growg a base of support.

” Milk reached out to anyone his district who would listen by nvassg neighborhoods, turng his mera store to an official voter registratn post while leadg multiple ralli for gay rights.

Bee the iative vered the whole state of California, Milk unrstood that the only way to nvce Californians that gays should not be fired simply bee of their sexual orientatn was for closeted gays to e out.

” Milk would e his soap-box and bullhorn, rallyg the gay muny wh the slogan “My name is Harvey Milk and I’m here to rec you” to march thoands through the cy of San Francis, but he never let his supporters get out of ntrol. Milk quickly disvered that his fight for equaly was supported by not only gays, but also straight workg-class, elrly and mory voters, who reprented a signifint chunk of the votg populatn San Francis. Acrdg to the gay muny magaze Advote, “[Milk] mold the gay muny to a uned votg bloc, and his populist agenda—which attracted straight fai, workg-class voters, and senr cizens—gave him a powerful base.

It was this kd of operatn that led to Milk’s and the gay muny’s succs; acrdg to gay activist Cleve Jon, a close iend of Milk’s, “In each muny, he found a handful of people who were willg to ve to their livg rooms and church to talk.

— A Southern California school board has bee the latt proxy for culture wars brewg across the untry after a nservative bloc voted to formally reject state-endorsed curriculum that would have mentned gay rights figure Harvey Milk.

The film suggts that Dan Whe may have been a closeted gay man, whose tormented mental state and nfn over his sexual inty, along wh his fancial and polil troubl, played a role his sudn homicidal behavr when he assassated Milk 1978. This portrayal of Dan Whe heavily rembl Colonel Frank Fts the 1999 movie "Amerin Bety, " a character whose homophobia is fueled by his own reprsed homosexualy, eventually drivg him to m murr. Although 's possible that Whe had sexual securi or was secretly gay, there isn't any real-life evince or suggtn to support this speculatn, nor the ia that Whe murred Milk as a rult of his reprsed homosexualy.

In the film, Harvey realiz that orr to beat Proposn 6 (the ballot iative aimed at banng gay men and lbian women om workg California's public schools), he'd need to challenge the proposn's sponsor John Briggs to a public bate. Dan Whe's disfort wh homosexualy and gay men like Harvey Milk is equently picted the movie, wh his polil and public rhetoric labelg gay people as "splter groups of social radils, social viants and rrigibl. " From Whe's pot of view, this seems necsary orr to appease District 8 voters, the majory of whom are whe, nservative, middle-class fai who are opposed to San Francis's expandg gay muny.

Speakg wh SF Weekly before the film's release, Sloan sought to dispel misnceptns about who Whe was and why he murred the first openly gay man to be elected to public office -– that me om a place of betrayal, not homophobia. "Milk" screenwrer Dt Lance Black and director G Van Sant chose to foc on Harvey Milk's life and polil reer om 1970 to 1978, emphasizg on Harvey's journey towards beg the first openly gay man to be elected to public office, and his victory over Proposn 6.

For stance, though Milk had known that he was homosexual sce his adolcence, he rried on wh his life adherg to what society had expected of any man that era, pursug relatnships wh secrecy well to his adulthood. While the film mak a few subtle referenc about Milk's prr polil affiliatns, would have been tertg to see how Harvey's views on gay rights evolved as he me to terms wh his own sexual orientatn. The two most visible figur behd the legislative manvers were John Briggs, a state Senator California, who sought to remove openly lbian and gay teachers wh Proposn 6 (the phrase “public homosexual” repeats throughout the proposn); and Ana Bryant, whose “Save Our Children” anizatn succsfully helped overturn equal rights ordanc Miami, Florida; Eugene, Oregon; Wicha, Kansas; and St.

And fally, I want to tell the John Briggs and the Ana Bryants that they talk about the myths of gays, but today I’m talkg about the facts of heterosexual vlence and what the hell are you gog to do about that? If you do not speak out, if you rema silence, if you do not lift up your voice agast Briggs, then I ll upon lbians and gay men om all over the natn, your natn, to gather Washgton one year om now on that natnal day of eedom, the fourth of July…the fourth of July, 1979…to gather Washgton on that very same spot where over a ago Dr.

I ll upon all mori and pecially the lns of lbians and gay men to wake up om their dreams…to gather Washgton and tell Jimmy Carter and their natn: “Wake up…wake up, Ameri…no more racism, no more sexism, no more ageism, no more hatred…no more! “I fully realize that a person who stands for what I stand for, an activist, a gay activist, be the target or potential target for a person who is secure, terrified, aaid, or very disturbg, ” Milk said the tape.

Milk was mted to attag public office, and spent years buildg his crentials, foundg the Castro Street Fair and the San Francis Gay Democratic Club, and nng several tim for office throughout the ’70s before his 1977 of Milk’s biggt acplishments happened before he ever took office, back when he was lled the “Mayor of Castro Street. Coors was tryg to stop the hirg of unn drivers to transport their beer, and Milk agreed to try and throw the weight of San Francis’s LGBTQ muny behd the strike, exchange for Baird phg the Teamsters to support the hirg of gay tck drivers.

Milk began his mpaign wh an appeal his regular lumn the Bay Area Reporter, wh the headle “Teamsters Seek Gay Help, ” and ma an argument for solidary across inty l: “If we the gay muny want others to help our fight to end discrimatn, then we mt help others their fights. ”Milk helped nvce gay bar owners to stop sellg Coors solidary wh the Teamsters strike, brgg media along to photograph bar owners dumpg out the beer ran for office four tim San Francis, cludg twice for the Board of Supervisors and also the California State Assembly, and was fally elected 1977 to the Board after his send n.

” Ste noted that electoral reprentatn has been a key path to power for the LGBTQ his brief time office, Milk was a stnch advote for gay rights at a moment when the polil climate was eply hostile towards LGBTQ people. ” “This one has teeth; a person n go to urt if his rights are vlated once this is passed, ” Milk told the Tim of the Milk at the Gay Pri Para rryg a si readg, “I'm om Woodmere, New York”. “This is perhaps a perd when lbians and gay men were at their most divid, as lbian femists are g to their own and llg gay men out on sexism, and even the term ‘lbian’ me to much greater populary the ’70s as distct om women llg themselv ‘gay women, ’” Ste said.