Cities across the USA to observe Harvey Milk Day on Saturday
May 21, 2010
As reported by Marisol Bello for USA Today:
"Robin Galbraith never thought she'd be a gay-rights activist.
"Then the 46-year-old military ship designer moved home to Mobile, Ala., from Houston four years ago and encountered a gay community where many are afraid to live openly.
... "On Saturday, she'll celebrate with California as the state marks the first official Harvey Milk Day on what would have been his 80th birthday. Galbraith will host a viewing of the movie, "Milk", then a forum on issues vital to gays and lesbians in the South, such as electing openly gay politicians.
"California is the only state with an official Harvey Milk Day, but 26 cities in 20 states scattered nationwide will hold rallies and events to honor the first openly gay man to be elected to public office and icon of the gay-rights movement.
"'He knew you had to make change,' Galbraith says. 'Our community has to understand you have a voice, and if you don't use it, nothing will change.'
... "The Milk events come as gay-rights advocates are pressuring Congress to pass a bill that ends job discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and to repeal the military ban on gays and lesbians serving openly.
"Twenty-one states ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, and 12 ban discrimination based on gender identity, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
"Advocates are lobbying Congress to include a repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' — the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military — in a spending bill a House committee took up Wednesday and a Senate committee plans to take up next week.
... "Advocates say Harvey Milk Day allows them to celebrate Milk's legacy as they fight for full equality.
"Raymond and Byron Moya, who are married with twin 3-year-old daughters and a newborn son, plan to spend the day going door-to-door in East Los Angeles with their family, talking to residents about the freedom to marry and gay rights."