Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk said, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.”(Aretha 83). Harvey Milk was the first gay politician that moved people’s hearts. He changed the way people thought about gay people back in the 1970’s. Defending homosexuals from criticism, he civilized them with the people. Since the background of homosexuality was harsh which affected Harvey Milk’s early life, he took the action to process of becoming civilized as an officer, and he left many legacies.

The background of homosexuality in the 1940’s and 50’s was harsh, but people started to be opened toward the rights. There were criticisms toward homosexuality in the early days of Milk. Gay men carried the labels of mentally ill or psychopathic. Often times, gay men committed suicide from harsh judgement and criticism that always followed them. Even though population of homosexuality grew and had jobs, they were harassed and beaten by the police. There were a lot of disapproval and hostility of homosexuality. Anita Bryant, a singer, made a campaign to oppose the rights of homosexuals. Christian forces and activists withdrew gay-right legislation which lead to Proposition 6. The harshness from background of homosexuality back in the 1940’s and 50’s took the freedom away from the homosexuals. After the harshness, there came a little bit of hope for the homosexuals in San Francisco. Castro, a city in San Francisco, became the center of gay neighborhood. In 1964, gay men formed Society of Individual Right (SIR), and 1,200 members joined. Homosexuals started having good views when Sipple who was gay saved the president from a gunshot. Finally in 1972, Board of Supervisor banned the discrimination law for homosexuals. Even though in 1940...

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...ompared to Martin Luther King Jr. for being a great leader. From his amazing persuasion, he changed people’s thoughts and opened their minds. His legacy remains still today, influencing many young and old hearts in all orientations.

Works Cited

Aretha, David. No Compromise: The Story of Harvey Milk. Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds Pub., 2010. Print.

Byers, Paula K. "Harvey Bernard Milk." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 1998. 19-20. Print.

"Harvey Milk Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. .

McKinley, Jesse. "Harvey Milk's Shop, Center of a Movement, Is Now the Center of an Internal Fight." New York Times. N.p., 19 Dec. 2010. Web.

Nagourney, Adam. "Court Strikes Down Ban on Gay Marriage in California." New York Times. N.p., 7 Feb. 2012. Web.