We Are Planned Parenthood. And We’re Here to Recruit You!

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona

The following guest post comes to us via Kelley Dupps, public policy manager for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona.

“My name is Harvey Milk, and I’m here to recruit you!” This was an opening line the gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk often used to grab people’s attention. See, in the 1970s when Harvey was organizing for gay rights, the common misconception peddled by the media, religious organizations, and homophobes — and consumed by the general public — was that homosexuals wanted to recruit you and/or your children to join the ranks of the queers. The logic was that there was a small number of LGBTQ people, so in order to “survive” they needed to recruit — rather than, you know, being born that way. Many politicians, preachers, and pretty faces peddled the nonsense that LGBTQ folks — particularly gay teachers — were out to recruit children. While this was not the case, there were no organizations or prominent LGBTQ people to publicly fight back.

Oppressive powers thrive on fatigue and apathy. We need you to be active!

But Harvey was there to recruit you for the fight! Before he was a politician, he was a small business owner and community organizer. He knew what it was like to live in San Francisco’s Castro District, and he knew how his neighborhood and community had been ignored by those in power. By recruiting folks who wanted to see change at City Hall, who understood the gay community’s intersection of identities, and who would show up to rallies and meetings, Harvey was creating change that would ripple through communities for decades.

Forty years ago, in 1977, Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay candidates voted into elected office when his constituents selected him to fill a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Harvey felt the impact of his candidacy — and win — far and wide, and advocated, not as a politician, but as a marginalized person, for other LGBTQ people to come out. Come out to your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and lawmakers.

Sharing one’s authentic self with other folks can be a terrifying journey, not to be taken lightly. Continue reading →

The Mayor of Castro Street Turns 85

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Michelle P.

The pathway to social change is paved with an unwavering commitment to forging ahead in the face of adversity, and above all, loyalty to your community. This Friday, we celebrate the legacy of Harvey Milk on what would have been his 85th birthday, had his life not been cut short by assassination. When we talk about social movements, we often point to a specific event as a catalyst for change, and oftentimes, that event is a tragedy. I, however, believe that it is people like Harvey Milk who bring about and create change through their dedication to justice, no matter what barriers may present themselves.

“If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.” — Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay politicians ever to be elected and serve in a United States public office. Upon arriving in San Francisco in 1972, Milk opened his iconic camera store in the famed Castro district, and became increasingly involved in promoting local businesses in the area. A longtime proponent of equal rights for all and an unapologetic advocate for the LGBTQ community, Milk became the unofficial spokesperson for the gay rights movement, and campaigned for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Upon losing both his first and second election for the Board of Supervisors, in 1975 he was appointed to the San Francisco Board of Permit Appeals by his ally and friend, Mayor George Moscone. Continue reading →

From Phoenix to Washington — And the World: A Short History of the Transgender Pride Flag

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Matt

Monica Helms (right) holding up her Transgender Pride Flag

November is the month for transgender pride and awareness events. In some communities, it’s one day in November: One of the most widespread observations is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which is held every November 20. In others, TDOR is part of a longer observation, Transgender Awareness Week. Elsewhere, the whole month is devoted to the theme. Noteworthy, too, have been grassroots efforts organized at TransParentDay.org to make the first Sunday in November a celebration of transgender parents.

Phoenix, Arizona, is the birthplace of the Transgender Pride Flag.

However they’re timed, these events share common themes. They are occasions for transgender people and their allies to remember victims of transphobic violence. They are opportunities to assert rights, dignity, and a place in society — to demand the visibility and respect that transgender people are too often denied.

Transgender visibility has also been strengthened by a powerful symbol that first made its appearance at the Phoenix Pride Parade in 2000. Since the creation in the 1970s of the rainbow flag, a symbol shared broadly by LGBTQ people, several newer flags have appeared, each representing sexual and gender identity groups within the LGBTQ community. In 1999, Michael Page, the creator of the Bisexual Pride Flag, suggested to longtime Phoenix resident Monica Helms that she create a similar flag for the transgender community. Continue reading →