MILK- Havlyn Ehrich

The movie MILK follows the life of a gay rights activist Harvey Milk. This movie shows the many struggles people of this community face and exemplifies how there have been many changes in the past several years. There is no doubt that the atmosphere regarding this topic has become increasingly charged over the past years. The beginning of this charge reflects on a very well known topic: there are those who believe that LGBTQ rights are a matter of basic human dignity and equality and there are those who believe that LGBTQ rights threaten traditional values and marriage, and that accepting homosexuality goes against biblical teachings. The constant opposition between these two groups has been the topic of discussion for many years, each group standing in the way of the other. Despite these arguments, there has been a large increase in acceptance of this community as well as increasing the amount of its members. Even though we see more acceptance, that does not mean that all are willing to and treat community members respectfully. LGBTQ individuals have faced discrimination, harassment, and violence, often at the hands of those who oppose their viewpoints. LGBTQ youth are at higher risk of suicide and homelessness, and face higher rates of mental health problems than their heterosexual peers. Transgender individuals in particular face significant barriers to healthcare, employment, and legal recognition, and are often subjected to violence and discrimination. Politics seem to be a bit of a mix when it comes to this issue. Among political parties, there has been a switch from members saying 'no' to supporting gay marriage to now shifting to more members encouraging it than discouraging it. Overall, though there are still many roadblocks, the issues surrounding the gay rights community has been one of the fastest changing political issues. More acceptance has been made since Obama first legalized gay marriage and I feel this will continue.  



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