ABSTRACT
One of the striking things about Gus Van Sant’s 2009 film on the life of charismatic gay political activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn)—the film is called Milk-is that it is not an overtly gay or queer film. Rather, the film focuses primarily on political struggles and aspects of political life, of campaigns for political office and legislation in San Francisco during the 1970s. The film raises questions like: What strategies are necessary for gaining political office? Or, In what practical ways can social change be brought about? Or, How can political alliances be forged? From such a perspective, Milk can be considered a film that sidesteps questions of gay relationships and gay sex to instead focus on aspects of politics.
