14 Sep 2022

117

The Times of Harvey Milk: What You Need to Know

Format: APA

Academic level: College

Paper type: Personal Reflection

Words: 485

Pages: 2

Downloads: 0

"The Times of Harvey Milk" is a documentary and biography of one of the most iconic American to change the conservative nature of politics in the 1970s and up to date. A camera store owner is Castro District, San Francisco; Harvey Milk Was the earliest openly gay person to run for governmental office. Milk was defeated three times in his quest before finally becoming a San Francisco supervisor's board member. His victory was also met with the first Chinese American election, the first avowed feminist, and the first black woman. The film is an appreciation and portrayal of Milk's charisma and self-promotion that gave him the appeal he needed to be in office. The political and social climate of San Francisco during Milk's period was permissive enough to attract a gay following, which gave him the confidence to run and finally win a political seat. Unfortunately, Milk's political career would be a brief endeavor since he was assassinated by a fellow board member, Dan White, in 1978. Milk was assassinated with Mayor George Moscone.

The price for being an openly homosexual California public, a victory celebrated across an increasingly progressive state, was his life. His anger towards the treatment of the homosexual community is what drove him to contest for a political seat. He wanted to change the perspective of society and the stigmatization of the current LGBTQ community. White openly disproved homosexuals, so his actions were not a surprise. The surprise, as highlighted in the film, was the lenient sentence he got. The lack of due process in the justice system for White and Moscone's murder was handled with incompetent prosecution. However, the film is an interpretation of Milk's friends and associates, which makes it subject to serious bias. Regardless, the film is a story packed with a decade full of milestones and achievements in the California state's political arena, which, despite the many sacrifices that transpired, ultimately bore fruits to the American society that thrives today.

It’s time to jumpstart your paper!

Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.

Get custom essay

From the film, standout themes of leadership and perseverance absorb any viewer's attention to a cause or objective that makes all people equal. Throughout history, discrimination and oppression have been afflictions that cripple society's potential to thrive. However, amidst such vices and negatives arise, leaders and role models speak out on behalf of the masses and voice the weak and underprivileged concerns. They yearn for revolution, and change in any given situation requires sacrifice and effort. "The Times of Harvey Milk" fits the category of everyday folk that people who die in the pursuit of justice and equal opportunity do not die in vain. Milk and many other heroes put their lives on the line to stand for what they believe against a primitive and biased political and government system.

Furthermore, even in death, the authority does not hold the guilty accountable, showing the evil embedded in our systems. The assassinations of leaders who strive for change only stop their hearts from beating, but not their message from spreading. The world is an ever-changing and progressive culmination of existence, which prompts people to be more accommodative and understand the plight and needs of other human beings for the continued existence as the best species.

References

Donahue, D. (2013, Nov 11). Learning from Harvey Milk: The Limits and Opportunities of One Hero to Teach About LGBTQ People and Issues. The Social Studies , Volume 105, 2014 – Issue 1. Pp 36-44. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2013.788474

Illustration
Cite this page

Select style:

Reference

StudyBounty. (2023, September 15). The Times of Harvey Milk: What You Need to Know.
https://studybounty.com/the-times-of-harvey-milk-what-you-need-to-know-personal-reflection

illustration

Related essays

We post free essay examples for college on a regular basis. Stay in the know!

How Unisex Fashion Trends Are Impacting Gender Equality

Introduction For the longest time in history, fashion and garment have been subjects of deep sociological, anthropological, and semiotic evaluation in the modern world. The phenomenon of fashion, which is often...

Words: 2215

Pages: 8

Views: 128

Gender (Sex) Roles in Modern Society

Also termed as sex roles, gender roles encompasses a range of attitudes and behaviors that are deemed desirable for people basing on their perceived sex. Historically the gender roles were centered on femininity and...

Words: 1332

Pages: 5

Views: 171

LGBTQIA Issues in Schools

Introduction LGBTQIA is an abbreviation that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. The abbreviation is an umbrella term that is typically employed in reference to the entire community of Lesbian,...

Words: 2829

Pages: 10

Views: 68

Feminist Advertisements: 10 Powerful Ads That Empower Women

Introduction Feminism is defined as the belief or perception that both men and women need to share equal opportunities and rights, politically, economically, or socially. It could also emphasize on the women’s...

Words: 2030

Pages: 7

Views: 70

How Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Develop

Introduction To understand an individual's sexual orientation, one must first understand the individual's gender identity that tentatively describes their sexual identity. People's erotic and romantic attraction...

Words: 1335

Pages: 4

Views: 126

Equality between Men and Women

The issue of gender equality is a significant ethical issue, which needs to be adequately investigated and addressed accordingly. Gender inequality is linked to human values as well as a socially constructed process...

Words: 576

Pages: 1

Views: 145

illustration

Running out of time?

Entrust your assignment to proficient writers and receive TOP-quality paper before the deadline is over.

Illustration