Use Your Own Paper to Answer the Following Questions

Milk Movie questions: Use your own paper to answer the following questions.

1. Before seeing the film, what did you know about Harvey Milk? Had you seen any articles or films about him before? If no, why do you think you didn’t know about him? If yes, what did you know?

2. Milk is shown working to get allies outside the gay male community- speaking at union gatherings, talking to African-American men in a barbershop, and even approaching strangers on the street. Why do you think this is an effective technique(coalition building)?

3. Harvey Milk’s “time” came right after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Do you think LGBTQ issues are part of that movement? What are some differences between the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and the coalitions that Milk was organizing? What did Harvey Milk do for present day LGBTQ rights?

4. Harvey Milk frequently predicted his own demise and said, “If a bullet should go through my head let that bullet destroy every closet door.” What did he mean by this? Why was it so important to Milk that LGBTQ people “come out of the closet”?

5. On election night, Harvey Milk reminded his supporters that, "This is not my victory --it's yours. If a gay man can win, it proves that there is hope for all minorities who are willing to fight." Do you agree or disagree, and why? Why is hope important in a civil rights struggle and in daily life?

6. Harvey once said, “All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.” Do you think our school achieves this vision of a safe and supportive environment for everyone? Explain why or why not.

7. Harvey speculated that Dan White was “one of us.” A bisexual man? A closeted gay man? What do you think? Is such speculation warranted? If so, why?

8. Harvey Milk is shown afraid to walk the street at night, the sound of ominous footsteps following him. Have you ever felt fear walking in your community, explain? What role does fear of personal harm play in oppressing members of a minority community?

9. Harvey was always confronted with threats to his life- written threats, implied threats, and innuendos. This is clear throughout the film. Dan White said that he felt threatened, too. What do you think was most threatening to him? 10. Harvey wanted EVERYONE to come “out of the closet,” that is, say who they are aloud to everyone important in their lives. He felt that knowing someone who is gay or lesbian would make all the difference in transforming our culture into a more welcoming one. Do you think that is true? Do you think coming “out of the closet” is enough to transform our culture? In the film, Harvey pressures one of his deputies to come out to his own father right there on the phone. Do you think that was the right thing to do? If so, why? If not, why not?

11. Harvey believed in “outing” people against their will. What arguments can be made both for and against this controversial practice? Are you aware of the risks associated with “coming out” in terms of employment, personal relationships, and personal safety? What are the emotional, and relational benefits of “coming out”?

12. In the film, Milk’s political style is contrasted with that of other influential members of the gay community, such as the owner of The Advocate magazine. The movie, Iron Jawed Angels, similarly portrayed activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns as rebelling against the way the suffrage movement was being conducted—from inside more than without. Historians frequently contrast the tactics of Reverend Martin Luther King to those of Malcolm X. The tension between those who feel power is best attained by working patiently within the system and those who believe groups should demand their place at the table is an age-old one. Has one technique been more successful in the struggle for civil rights than the other? What has been your personal experience with these two strategies?

13. During the Milk murder and Dan White trial years, the most common question they heard, was this: “But why do you folks(LGBT) have to talk about it? Who you are, we mean. We don’t talk about our sexuality, why do you have to talk about yours?” What is the fallacy(inaccuracy/not true) of this statement?

14. Harvey Milk said “All men are created equal. Now matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.” How does bigotry (intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself) harm America?

15. A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for the people, a cause, a country, or an organization. Was Harvey Milk a martyr? What other historical and political figures do you know who were martyrs for a cause? Why might you call them martyrs?

16. I’ve showed this movie to multiple classes and the same thing occurs every time. When there are scenes of men kissing, much of the class is uncomfortable. When asked why, people either can’t say why or say they haven’t seen men kiss. How much of the bigotry towards the LGBT community comes from the fact that many people have never seen or are uncomfortable with displays of affection between gay people?