Harvey Milk Finally Gets His Day

categories: Gay Marriage, LGBT History, LGBT Legislation, LGBT Rights and Politics, Marriage Equality, State LGBT News

Published October 12, 2009 @ 10:11AM PT

Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk, the legendary LGBT activist and San Francisco Supervisor who was assassinated in 1978, has finally been given official recognition by the state of California with his own day. The bill to establish May 22 -- Harvey's birthday -- as Harvey Milk Day was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last night, capping off a whirlwind year in which Milk Day was originally vetoed by the Terminator, then the "Milk" movie exploded, then a Presidential Medal of Freedom was given posthumosly to Milk, and now, full circle, Schwarzenegger gets that Milk is an important figure for the state to honor.

Geoff Kors from Equality California noted that the honor for Harvey Milk will set history.

"The Milk Day Bill marks the very first time an openly LGBT person has been officially recognized by any state government. As a result, Harvey’s legacy and our history will be taught for decades to come and youth will learn that they have a role model who sacrified everything to make the world safer and more equal for them," Kors said. (H/T Karen Ocamb at LGBT Pov.)

What's more is that Schwarzenegger also signed into law a bill that allows California to recognize out-of-state gay marriages. This doesn't unravel Prop 8, of course, but it's certainly a welcome sign in a state where 11 months ago advocates for marriage equality were defeated at the ballot box. Said Schwarzenegger of the out-of-state marriage bill (known as Senate Bill 54):

"Following the passage of Proposition 8, there has been some uncertainty as to how California should treat same-sex couples that married out-of-state while same-sex marriage was legal in California. Consistent with the California Supreme Court’s decision that upheld the validity of those in-state marriages entered into prior to the passage of Proposition 8, Senate Bill 54 clarifies that California must also recognize as married couples that legally married in another state during the same period of time in which same-sex marriage was legal in California."

Wow. What great victories to celebrate less than 24 hours after marching on Washington. To quote Harvey Milk, "Hope will never be silent." And in these two cases, hope coupled with hard work has yielded results.

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Comments (6)

Its a shame about what happened to Harvey Milk, he was doing an excellent job.

Just goes to show you what human beings think about the Freedom of Speech.

Its excellent that he has been rewarded his own holiday, few people deserve it more than he did.

Posted by Paul Hockhousen on 10/12/2009 @ 10:52AM PT
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We are so excited here in CA today!!!

Posted by Sean Stidham on 10/12/2009 @ 11:19AM PT
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Arnold Schwartzneggar has done good things by signing the bill which created "Harvery Milk Day" to commerate an activist in the early LGBT rights movement and by signing a bill that recognizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere to be recognized. It can't be forgotten that President Obama most likely helped the governor sign that bill because President Obama gave Harvey Milk a Presidential Medal. Every state must at least recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 10/12/2009 @ 02:49PM PT
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We are making progress towards equality indeed.

Thank you govenor schwartzneggar.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/12/2009 @ 08:06PM PT
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I think a couple of things need to also be realized, as good as this news is, he also vetoed two transgender rights bills that would have allowed transgender people to obtain new birth certificates and that would require prisons to consider inmates' sexual orientation and gender identity in order to house them safely.

I also believe that part of the reason he signed the bills that he did is because he intends to run for Dianne Feinstein's seat come 2012 - I sure hope he does! I am so tired of war hawk Democrats who are only Demcrats In Name Only (DINO.) She needs to be ejected from the Senate, and personally I think Arnold is the person to do it.

Posted by Dave Hershey on 10/13/2009 @ 02:51PM PT
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I read a news article about his vetoing those 2 bills and their explanation was that he didnt think they were neccessary due to other laws already covering it...Personaly I think he's full of shit on that but who am I to say ?

Yep...I think your right mr. hershey although, I was guessing that he only did it to win favor with obama ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/13/2009 @ 03:52PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.