Learning from Harvey Milk: The Limits and Opportunities of One Hero to Teach About LGBTQ People and Issues

Abstract

Highlighting a hero is a common response to including the history of marginalized people in the curriculum. Harvey Milk is becoming that hero as social studies curriculum responds to calls for including LGBTQ people. By studying Milk, what might young people learn about LGBTQ people, issues, and movements? What opportunities and limitations exist for moving beyond one hero and learning about justice for LGBTQ people? How might social studies teachers address limitations and capitalize on opportunities in such curriculum? I analyze how Milk is presented in eight published lesson plans ranging from elementary school to adult education, two nonfiction books, and one online script for a school assembly. These materials carry limitations: reinforcing heteronormativity, ignoring homophobia, perpetuating the “great man” notion of history, and obscuring long-term struggle by other individuals and coalitions of diverse groups working for change. In the hands of social studies teachers who are aware of these limitations and can move beyond them, they also present opportunities to explore issues like marriage equality, coming out, bullying, and tools for political and social change.