At last tonight’s Academy Awards, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for Milk, the story of California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk. Black — who was wearing a White Knot for marriage equality — spoke about how Milk inspired him:
BLACK: When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas, to California, and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life; it gave me the hope that one day I could live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married. […]
Most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he’d want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told they are less than by their churches, or by the government, or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value. And that no matter what everyone tells you, God does love you, and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally across this great nation of ours.
Black’s speech was greeted by loud applause and was extremely inspiring for those of us in the gay community. Sean Penn also won Best Actor for Milk, and gave a great speech as well but nothing was more eloquent and on point for all of us fighting than Dustin’s speech. Thank you sir. Watch it, and thank you to Think Progress for posting the video and speech:
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