The story behind Dustin Lance Black's speech

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http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=film&article=462

This is an interview he gave while promoting the film and it explains exactly where he was coming from in his speech.

Childhood for Lance Black meant growing up in San Antonio, Texas, surrounded by military bases. "I had my first crushes on a boy neighbor when I was like six, seven. I knew what was going on, I knew I liked him, but what Texas did and what the culture of growing up Mormon, growing up military , was, the very second thought I had, 'I really like that boy, and it's not just as a friend,' the very second thought was, 'I'm sick, I'm wrong, I'm going to hell. And if I ever admit it, I'll be hurt, and I'll be brought down.'"

snip

Through the travail of draft after draft, as the Milk script was winnowed down to the core beats about the man, Black never forgot the little boy from San Antonio whose Texas childhood shadowed his dreams. "Texas kept me very quiet. I became intensely shy, I had thoughts of suicide. I was a pretty dark kid, because I had an acute awareness of my sexuality, and was absolutely convinced that I was wrong. In his Hope Speech, Harvey Milk says, 'There's that kid in San Antonio, and he heard tonight that a gay man was elected to public office, and that will give him hope.' And when I first heard that speech, it really did that. It really, really gave me hope, for the first time."

end of quote

Being gay and Mormon couldn't have been a picnic by any stretch of the imagination. I still remember the first time I walked into an affirming church and for that matter a gay bar. I also remember the first time I heard Milk's hope speech. For some gay kid today Black provided what Milk provided us (sadly from beyond the grave). I think this interview puts the beautiful speech in full context.

[yellerpup]

1. Beautiful story.

Every child should have hope. K&R :kick:

[rvablue]

2. Kicking. His speech last night was very moving. Usually don't get that from screenwriters. n/t

[malaise]

3. Thanks for that

Equal rights for everyone.

[tekisui]

4. I was most moved when he spoke directly to gay and lesbian kids.

I am sure a lot of young men and women felt a sense of pride and recognition that they had not been allowed to feel before.

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10. I am going to play his speech to the GSA I advise

Many of them have been raised in religiously conservative households.

[grace0418]

5. It just makes me so achingly sad to think of a sweet little boy of six feeling like

he was sick, wrong and going to hell because of his love for another human being.

Beautiful speech, wonderful story.

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6. I can relate to some extent

My teen years were pretty rough, I was so sure I would be in Hell for who and what I was. I wasn't sure I was gay at 6 like he was though.

[Brazenly Liberal]

7. His speech had me in tears - both of sadness and joy

especially when he spoke to the gay and lesbian kids.

[cynatnite]

8. same here. n/t

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9. Yea it was a cry fest for me.