'Milk' writer Dustin Lance Black sees his art as a call to action and activism
SAN FRANCISCO -- June 1 marked the start of Pride Month in the United States of America, a time to find hope in our stories and see how those stories point us to progress.
The intersection of creativity and activism has always been the hallmark of Dustin Lance Black, who won an Academy Award for writing Milk, the 2008 biopic on Harvey Milk filmed in San Francisco's Castro District.
Speaking in a recent exclusive interview, Black told KPIX 5 he always feels like he is carrying forward Milk's recruitment efforts in the fight for full equality and equal protections under the law. Black looks to recent Supreme Court news as signals that the rights of women face threats and says the LGBTQ community is vulnerable too. Speaking from Hollywood, Black expanded on that idea.
"Actually, we aren't next. It's here," Black explained. "We don't need to wait for people to file to take away marriage equality. The effort is already here. It's happening."
Black, who told KPIX 5 he has thought about running for political office, says it is the responsibility of the queer community to stand with all people in the margins.
"If we let women be told gender can determine destiny, we are next," he said.
