When California sixth-grader Natalie Jones put together a research project about Harvey Milk, it received a near perfect grade. But, when it came time to share the Powerpoint presentation, Natalie's principal said parents would have to sign a permission slip before her classmates could see it during a special lunchtime period. The principal explained that since Harvey Milk was gay, parents might Read more

If you didn't grow up in San Francisco, and maybe if you did, you might not have heard of slain gay-rights activist Harvey Milk until Milk hit theaters last year. Sean Penn, who won the Oscar for his portrayal of the nation's first openly gay person elected to major office, wants to continue promoting Milk's legacy. Yesterday in SF, Sean teamed up with state Senator Mark Leno to announce Read more

"I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living." — Harvey Milk The story of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk had a huge impact on me a few years ago when I first watched the Oscar-winning documentary about him, The Times of Harvey Milk. His is truly a stranger-than-fiction tale and is so full of inspiration, absurdity, and absolute heartache Read more

Sean Penn's Milk Has Blast From the Antigay Past This is one of those headlines where you (kinda) know what the writer was trying to say, but you're all, "Re-write, re-write!" I mean, c'mon! "Sean Penn's Milk"?! That just sounds dirty. And "blast," following it just a couple words away, doesn't help. Anyway, if you're interested in reading about anti-gay rights crusader Anita Bryant and her Read more

In 1978 Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to major office in the US, led the fight against Proposition 6. The California ballot measure would have banned gay teachers, including those already teaching, from public schools. Milk's organization against Prop. 6 is featured in the upcoming movie MILK, staring Sean Penn. A group of close friends, including Cleve Jones and Anne Read more

The Hollywood Reporter has news that Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco have joined Sean Penn for the Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. The stage musical version of Mary Poppins will begin its U.S. tour in Chicago during the spring of 2009, writes Variety. Michael Urie of Ugly Betty will host a Miss America special on TLC starting in January; details are at The Futon Critic. E! Online has news Read more

Ever since I watched the mesmerizing and heartbreaking documentary The Mayor of Castro Street — which won the Best Documentary Oscar in 1985 — I've kept an eye out for news about the film version of this story. Today, Hollywood Reporter announced that Matt Damon and Sean Penn are attached to star in the biopic about Harvey Milk, the first gay councilman in the U.S. who was viciously killed Read more

Okay, all you documentary fans, have I got a recommendation for you. The Times of Harvey Milk, winner of the 1985 Academy Award for Best Documentary, left me speechless and filled with mixed emotions. In the 1970s in San Francisco, good-natured camera store owner Harvey Milk was elected onto the board of city supervisors, becoming the first gay city official in the U.S. At a time when civil Read more