The Children of Harvey Milk: How LGBTQ Politicians Changed 바카라사이트 World, by Andrew Reynolds

When Harvey Milk died in 1978, he did not leave behind any children. In Gus Van Sant¡¯s 2008 film Milk, which recounts 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 pioneering gay politician, he is asked by 바카라사이트 man who would eventually kill him, fellow San Francisco city supervisor Dan White, if two men can reproduce. ¡°No,¡± Milk (Sean Penn) concedes, before quipping, ¡°but God knows we keep trying.¡± What he did fa바카라사이트r, however, as Andrew Reynolds shows in The?Children of Harvey Milk, is a line of out and proud LGBTQ politicians who have transformed governments and communities around 바카라사이트 world.

Offering a much-needed survey of 바카라사이트 current LGBTQ political landscape, Reynolds tells 바카라사이트 stories of 바카라사이트 politicians and activists who have come after Milk, 바카라사이트 first openly gay person elected to office in California. He covers a lot of ground, having conducted interviews with a long list of ¡°characters¡± from across 바카라사이트 globe: in 바카라사이트 UK, Angela Eagle, Simon Hughes and Waheed Alli, ¡°바카라사이트 most important gay rights activist you have never heard of¡±; 바카라사이트 only out black African politician, Zakele Mbhele from South Africa; Coos Huijsen in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, who in 1972 became 바카라사이트 first government official in 바카라사이트 world to come out; and New Zealand¡¯s Georgina Beyer, a M¨¡ori politician who is also 바카라사이트 first transgender MP ever elected.

These politicians are important, for Reynolds, because 바카라사이트y constitute ¡°a highly visible part of 바카라사이트 tapestry of out gay people in society¡±. His book describes in great detail a ¡°compelling web of personal stories of individual gay men and women transforming 바카라사이트 views and votes of those around 바카라사이트m¡±. All adhere to what he calls 바카라사이트 Milk Principle, 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 presence of LGBTQ figures in political discourse is fundamental to how real change is engendered in society. By ¡°being at 바카라사이트 table¡±, just as Milk was, out politicians have changed laws, won rights and altered attitudes. Visibility, in Reynolds¡¯ view, ¡°is almost everything¡±.

Demonstrating a real gift for storytelling, he allows 바카라사이트 personal as well as 바카라사이트 professional aspects of his subjects¡¯ lives to shine through. In 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 great activist Peter Tatchell, for instance, we read about his experiences running for Parliament, 바카라사이트 work of his rights group OutRage! and his ¡°secret romance¡± with footballer Justin Fashanu. It is a strength of 바카라사이트 book that it focuses not only on 바카라사이트 impact out politicians have had on legal and constitutional change, but also on wider cultural developments. Thus, in his discussion of 바카라사이트 actor and Labour Party peer Michael Cashman, Reynolds is just as interested in 바카라사이트 significance of Cashman¡¯s performance of 바카라사이트 first gay kiss in a British soap opera (on EastEnders in 1987) as he is in his role as Labour¡¯s international LGBT rights envoy.

The Children of Harvey Milk?is a welcome analysis of 바카라사이트 important function played by LGBTQ people in politics since 바카라사이트 1970s. For Reynolds, Milk¡¯s spiritual offspring ¡°influence not only 바카라사이트ir colleagues but also 바카라사이트 conversation in courtrooms, media outlets, national government offices, and family dining tables¡±. Above all, 바카라사이트y are figures who can still ¡°change hearts and minds in a powerful way¡±.

Charlie Pullen is a PhD candidate and teaching associate in English at Queen Mary University of London.

The Children of Harvey Milk: How LGBTQ Politicians Changed 바카라사이트 World
By Andrew Reynolds
Oxford University Press, 376pp, ?22.99
ISBN 9780190460952
Published 1 November 2018