Crystal McCann
Melissa Coy
HIST 1700
1st Dec, 2017
Beyond Closet Doors
I chose to watch a movie called, Milk based on a true story of Harvey Milk. He was the first openly gay person to run for, and win San Francisco supervisor. The movie is about how Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were both murdered, by a fellow retired city supervisor, Dan White, an ex Firefighter and Police officer. I chose this film because it depicts the struggle for GLBTQ and Civil Rights.
What many younger GLBTQ youth oftentimes forget, is that freedom always stems from struggle. The battle for equal rights is often forgotten by modern day society. The fact is there were many people before them who endured hardships and heartache, times in which they lost their jobs because they were gay, they lost their homes, were sexually harassed, raped, beaten, and were even disowned by family and friends, they lost lovers to suicide, and sometimes even murdered, just to be who they were, and love who they love. It took so much work, hurt and explaining, somewhere even sent to sexuality correction camps and endured shock therapy and other types of abuse. It seems as though modern day GLBTQ youth take the freedoms they have today for granted. I believe the film, Milk helps explain and exhibit gay history and the struggle for GLBTQ and Civil Rights.
Milk, Directed by Gus Van Sant, in 2008 is about the first openly gay activist, Harvey Milk, who ran for and won San Francisco Supervisor in the 1977. He was city supervisor for 1 year before his assassination. In the book, Archive of hope, written of Milks speeches, Historian/Author, (Morris) quotes, “What came to be called “The hope speech” was initially conceived as a stump address, wherein Milk attempted to embolden a strong GLBTQ nationalism within the Castro, while also appealing for an alliance with other disenfranchised groups and straight folks.” (Morris III pg.147) What I enjoy about this quote is that it brings to light the fact that Harvey milk was not of his own agenda, as someone like, singer and anti-gay spokes person, Anita Bryant might believe, but he was about the US’s, those who have struggled, such as African Americans, the elderly, and disabled. He fought and risked his life so that the Us’s, as he call it can have hope.
After watching the film, I was so intrigued, I had to watch the special features, which included several real people still alive who were actually there, working side-by-side with Harvey Milk during that time. This added to my faith in the validity of the film because, not only did they do the film justice by correlating actual events that took place, but also had those who lived it, in the special features discussing campaigning with Milk at the time. One man interviewed was Gilbert Baker, who was the guy who created the rainbow flag. He explained why he designed the flag the way he did, and that when he was designing it, that he thought of fellow closeted lesbian, Judy Garland from the Wizard Of Oz and how the song, “Somewhere over the rainbow” inspired and reminded him of the kind of hope Harvey Milk was trying to give people while campaigning for city supervisor.
My take away after watching this movie is that it is a very moving film, and a very important part of history for not only gay rights and history but for civil rights as well. No matter how many times you see it, you can’t help but to get tears in your eyes and literally feel the kind of hope Harvey Milk wanted to give the people of San Francisco in 1977. Of course, there were male prostitutes strolling the Castro and drugs being used and everything wasn’t peaceful and perfect, but Harvey Milk realized that and had even encouraged GLBTQ youth to help him campaine and make a difference in the future of civil rights.
Harvey Milk is a historical hero when it comes to GLBTQ and Civil Rights, he helped focus in on how awful people were being treated and instead of blending in and keeping quite, he raised up his voice and rallied other brave people together. He worked so hard in such a short amount of time to make things better for everyone, and as hard as he tried, when he finally won he was assassinated, his lovers either left him, and one even committed suicide during his campaigne.
In regards to Dan White, There is something to be said about a society where a person can allow themselves to become so consumed with hatred of anything outside of their heteronormative bubble, that people sometimes feel the need to murder people over this fear. You can’t help but be grateful for all of the people Milk gave hope to. Ensuring them that they weren’t sick, or perverted, or going to burn in hell, and he stressed that every closet door must open in order for the truth to be told. He stated, as long as someone knows that they know one of us, that perhaps their eyes and hearts will be a little more open. Perhaps he had in mind that, GLBTQ people who are in the work place, may need their jobs, and their homes and tmaybe, just maybe they are just like everyone else. Just trying to live life, fall in love, have a family with the person we love, get a good education and grow old and die with the person we love.
What Harvey Milk did was incredible, he indeed gave us hope, and not just homosexuals, but everyone who has experienced harassment and abuse. Perhaps they were told they do not have the right to civil rights. My hope for this film is that those who view it who struggle with their sexual identity don’t let Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscones murders be in vane, and that if they take anything at all from this Film, and anything at all from Harvey Milk, that they continue to come out, of the shadows, and they continue to fight for the rights that he and many others literally gave their lives for, so that some day GLBTQ people can walk down the streets and hold hands in any part of the world, and can marry the person they love, and can have or adopt a child, and are able to keep their jobs and homes, so that they can be who they truly are in the short time we have in this life.
Meanwhile, in 2008 when the film was released in the United States so many things were going on for GLBTQ rights. So many things were happening with gay marriage all over the country, but two of the biggest things were, the appeal of don’t ask, don’t tell, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in California in 7/09/2008, only to be banned by California voters on 11/04/2008. This cause major protests all over the country, including here in Utah. I remember creating a sign having to do with equal rights for all of people, and walking up to the Capitol Building to meet up with other friends who were protesting prop 8. I remember there being thousands of people holding signs protesting prop 8 and shouting about equal rights, I was so surprised that here in Utah that many people were there to support equal rights. It was one of the most important things I have ever witnessed and been a part of, besides sleeping outside all night on Dec, 23rd 2014 so that I, myself could get married for a short time in Salt lake city.
In conclusion, the movie Milk really brought to attention not only the issues that were going on in the 1970’s, but also helped bring to attention the issues that were happening at the time the film came out in 2008.
Work Cited:
https://www.biography.com/people/harvey-milk-9408170
http://milkfoundation.org/about/harvey-milk-biography/
An archive of hope: Harvey Milks speeches and writings, Written by Harvey Milk- Edited by Edward Black and Charles E. Morris III. Pg. 147
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/was-stonewall-sparked-by-judy-garlands-death-inside-the-riots-hotly-contested-history/2016/06/24/36f01d80-396a-11e6-8f7c-d4c723a2becb_story.html
Melissa Coy
HIST 1700
1st Dec, 2017
Beyond Closet Doors
I chose to watch a movie called, Milk based on a true story of Harvey Milk. He was the first openly gay person to run for, and win San Francisco supervisor. The movie is about how Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were both murdered, by a fellow retired city supervisor, Dan White, an ex Firefighter and Police officer. I chose this film because it depicts the struggle for GLBTQ and Civil Rights.
What many younger GLBTQ youth oftentimes forget, is that freedom always stems from struggle. The battle for equal rights is often forgotten by modern day society. The fact is there were many people before them who endured hardships and heartache, times in which they lost their jobs because they were gay, they lost their homes, were sexually harassed, raped, beaten, and were even disowned by family and friends, they lost lovers to suicide, and sometimes even murdered, just to be who they were, and love who they love. It took so much work, hurt and explaining, somewhere even sent to sexuality correction camps and endured shock therapy and other types of abuse. It seems as though modern day GLBTQ youth take the freedoms they have today for granted. I believe the film, Milk helps explain and exhibit gay history and the struggle for GLBTQ and Civil Rights.
Milk, Directed by Gus Van Sant, in 2008 is about the first openly gay activist, Harvey Milk, who ran for and won San Francisco Supervisor in the 1977. He was city supervisor for 1 year before his assassination. In the book, Archive of hope, written of Milks speeches, Historian/Author, (Morris) quotes, “What came to be called “The hope speech” was initially conceived as a stump address, wherein Milk attempted to embolden a strong GLBTQ nationalism within the Castro, while also appealing for an alliance with other disenfranchised groups and straight folks.” (Morris III pg.147) What I enjoy about this quote is that it brings to light the fact that Harvey milk was not of his own agenda, as someone like, singer and anti-gay spokes person, Anita Bryant might believe, but he was about the US’s, those who have struggled, such as African Americans, the elderly, and disabled. He fought and risked his life so that the Us’s, as he call it can have hope.
After watching the film, I was so intrigued, I had to watch the special features, which included several real people still alive who were actually there, working side-by-side with Harvey Milk during that time. This added to my faith in the validity of the film because, not only did they do the film justice by correlating actual events that took place, but also had those who lived it, in the special features discussing campaigning with Milk at the time. One man interviewed was Gilbert Baker, who was the guy who created the rainbow flag. He explained why he designed the flag the way he did, and that when he was designing it, that he thought of fellow closeted lesbian, Judy Garland from the Wizard Of Oz and how the song, “Somewhere over the rainbow” inspired and reminded him of the kind of hope Harvey Milk was trying to give people while campaigning for city supervisor.
My take away after watching this movie is that it is a very moving film, and a very important part of history for not only gay rights and history but for civil rights as well. No matter how many times you see it, you can’t help but to get tears in your eyes and literally feel the kind of hope Harvey Milk wanted to give the people of San Francisco in 1977. Of course, there were male prostitutes strolling the Castro and drugs being used and everything wasn’t peaceful and perfect, but Harvey Milk realized that and had even encouraged GLBTQ youth to help him campaine and make a difference in the future of civil rights.
Harvey Milk is a historical hero when it comes to GLBTQ and Civil Rights, he helped focus in on how awful people were being treated and instead of blending in and keeping quite, he raised up his voice and rallied other brave people together. He worked so hard in such a short amount of time to make things better for everyone, and as hard as he tried, when he finally won he was assassinated, his lovers either left him, and one even committed suicide during his campaigne.
In regards to Dan White, There is something to be said about a society where a person can allow themselves to become so consumed with hatred of anything outside of their heteronormative bubble, that people sometimes feel the need to murder people over this fear. You can’t help but be grateful for all of the people Milk gave hope to. Ensuring them that they weren’t sick, or perverted, or going to burn in hell, and he stressed that every closet door must open in order for the truth to be told. He stated, as long as someone knows that they know one of us, that perhaps their eyes and hearts will be a little more open. Perhaps he had in mind that, GLBTQ people who are in the work place, may need their jobs, and their homes and tmaybe, just maybe they are just like everyone else. Just trying to live life, fall in love, have a family with the person we love, get a good education and grow old and die with the person we love.
What Harvey Milk did was incredible, he indeed gave us hope, and not just homosexuals, but everyone who has experienced harassment and abuse. Perhaps they were told they do not have the right to civil rights. My hope for this film is that those who view it who struggle with their sexual identity don’t let Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscones murders be in vane, and that if they take anything at all from this Film, and anything at all from Harvey Milk, that they continue to come out, of the shadows, and they continue to fight for the rights that he and many others literally gave their lives for, so that some day GLBTQ people can walk down the streets and hold hands in any part of the world, and can marry the person they love, and can have or adopt a child, and are able to keep their jobs and homes, so that they can be who they truly are in the short time we have in this life.
Meanwhile, in 2008 when the film was released in the United States so many things were going on for GLBTQ rights. So many things were happening with gay marriage all over the country, but two of the biggest things were, the appeal of don’t ask, don’t tell, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in California in 7/09/2008, only to be banned by California voters on 11/04/2008. This cause major protests all over the country, including here in Utah. I remember creating a sign having to do with equal rights for all of people, and walking up to the Capitol Building to meet up with other friends who were protesting prop 8. I remember there being thousands of people holding signs protesting prop 8 and shouting about equal rights, I was so surprised that here in Utah that many people were there to support equal rights. It was one of the most important things I have ever witnessed and been a part of, besides sleeping outside all night on Dec, 23rd 2014 so that I, myself could get married for a short time in Salt lake city.
In conclusion, the movie Milk really brought to attention not only the issues that were going on in the 1970’s, but also helped bring to attention the issues that were happening at the time the film came out in 2008.
Work Cited:
https://www.biography.com/people/harvey-milk-9408170
http://milkfoundation.org/about/harvey-milk-biography/
An archive of hope: Harvey Milks speeches and writings, Written by Harvey Milk- Edited by Edward Black and Charles E. Morris III. Pg. 147
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/was-stonewall-sparked-by-judy-garlands-death-inside-the-riots-hotly-contested-history/2016/06/24/36f01d80-396a-11e6-8f7c-d4c723a2becb_story.html