Milk - Emma G.

In 2021, it was estimated that roughly 20 million Americans--roughly 8% of the adult population--were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Even more Americans reported attraction to the same sex, but were unable to give themselves a label that categorized them into the 8%. The number of Americans identifyng as part of the LGBTQ+ community has increased over the years, with a huge increase shown after the legalization of the gay marriage within the United States.


In the 1970s, even some of America's communities full of LGBTQ+ activism struggled to flourish against the homophobic values within the United States. In the film Milk, Harvey Milk, an openly gay man in Castro, runs for public office. His campaign and election is met with criticism from the homophobic opposition. While campaigning, Milk famously states, "On the Statue of Liberty it says, 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.' In the Declaration of Independence, it is written, 'All men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights.' So for...all the bigots out there, no matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words from the Declaration of Independence! No matter how hard you try, you can never chip those words from the base of the Statue of Liberty! That is where America is! Love it or leave it!" Although such a statement in support of the LGBTQ+ community may not be met with much backlash today, fighting for LGBTQ+ rights was a different ballgame in the 1970s. Even today, those that are not heterosexual continue to face discrimination.


In Tennessee, last week a bill was passed restricting drag show performances; other bills in the state have restricted gender-affirming healthcare. Within the legislative branch--the branch "representative" of the American people and that makes the nation's laws--consists of only 13 openly LGBTQ+ members of Congress. This is under 2.5% of Congress, which is much less than the 8% of American adults that are out publicly. Persistant discrimination and homophobia makes it challenging for those out of the closet to get in political positions. Remnants of the challenges Harvey Milk faced when running for office in the early 1970s still continue today.



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