Harvey Milk's Influence On Culture

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The impact that historical figures have had on the social, economic, and political aspects of society have influenced and shaped the foundation for day to day life and the culture that can be seen today. Harvey Milk was born on May 22, 1930, in Woodmere, New York. Reared in a small middle class Jewish family, Milk was one of two boys born to William and Minerva Milk. Milk grew up in a time where ideas of equality and open tolerance for lesbians and gays were seen as radical, shocking, and not yet accepted. Eventually becoming the first openly gay politician, Milk’s influences on society eventually opened doors for others to harness courage to come out and be open about their sexuality. Harvey Milk was a leader and an iconic figure who stood …show more content…
One, he demanded that government be responsive to the needs of individuals. Another was his ongoing emphasis on gay rights. A third theme was the fight to preserve the distinctive character of the city 's neighborhoods. As city supervisor, Milk was the driving force behind the passage of a gay-rights ordinance that prohibited discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation. At his urging, the city announced an initiative to hire more gay and lesbian police officers. He also initiated programs that benefited minorities, workers, and the elderly. On top of that, Milk gained national attention for his role in defeating a state senate proposal that would have prohibited gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools in …show more content…
Harvey Milk advocated for the equality of everyone in society and used powerful quotes such as "All men are created equal. Now matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.” Milk’s fight for the equality of gays and lesbians was primarily why he was such a predominant figure in history. For the time period it was unheard of to have an openly gay politician however, “As San Francisco 's first openly gay supervisor, Milk became a symbol of the gay community 's will to be included in the functioning of city government. His presence at City Hall forced residents of San Francisco to acknowledge the role gay men and lesbians played in the life of the city.” Milk had made leaps and bounds in the gay and political communities. This was unseen before and led to him becoming a major political figure that was constantly in the spotlight and criticized for his actions. To ensure equality Milk pushed for the guarantee of rights for people that in his opinion justly deserved

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