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04/17/2009
Come for the bagels, stay for the Milk
It'll be a posthuous homo homecoming this weekend out of Long Island. That's because the Long Island Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Services Network is planning to honor the legacy of one of their hometown boys, slain gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk:
Gay rights groups in NY suburbs honor Harvey Milk [AP via Yahoo!]
Incidentally, the Milk event is being held on the same day that HBO will premiere the new Grey Gardens movie. So if you've ever uttered the words, "Gee, this country doesn't have enough days designed to honor the legacies of 1970s queer icons who hail from Long Island," then tomorrow your Milk/Beale will be paid in full. Drink it up.
Your thoughts
Thanks for link JH. That's a great idea. Good story. and still the bravery lives on and can breed itself! ... all it takes is MILK!
Posted by: LOrion | Apr 17, 2009 2:56:23 PM
When I arrived in San Francisco in the early 60's, I met many gay men doing the same
from all over the United States. Like me, being opening gay or just to know someone gay in their hometowns was considered taboo. Most people believe that S.F. was always a liberal city... not so. There were laws on the city's books, that if you dressed in drag(not my forte)that you had to wear a lapel tag"I AM A BOY", or you could be arrested... even on Halloween! Jose Sarrera, who now has a S.F. street named after him, hailed from N.Y. and was a drag queen entertainer. He was tired of being arrested and decided to run for S.F. City Supervisor over a decade before Harvey... and receive over 6,000 votes that helped to begat gay politics. I noticed in many big cities that I traveled to, that many gay men and women were transplants from other places, and it made it easier for them to be seen coming into or OUT of gay bars, without the fear of bumping into their friends and family. In the 70's, it also made it easier for them to get involved openly in the early gay politics or sports leagues. I resided as a "Chicagoan in Exile" for almost 25 years before returning to my hometown... and thankfully, the progress made there was due to many transplants who fought to overchange Chicago's anti-gay laws.
Today, thanks to pioneers like Harvey Milk... most big cities are now gay friendly... and people no longer have to leave their hometown's, just to be themselves. However, we have a long way to go for equal rights in small towns,too. Thanks to movies like "MILK" and blogs like "Good As You," gay kids from Altoona,(as Harvey used to point OUT) and elsewhere... are made aware "WE ARE EVERYWHERE!"
Posted by: jerry Pritikin | Apr 18, 2009 7:47:56 AM
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