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CNN
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Gay rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy slighted by decision to rename Navy ship
American gay rights activist Harvey Milk was known for keeping his face and name on the front pages of San Francisco's newspapers. Now, as Pride Month begins, the Trump administration is set to take the almost unprecedented action of stripping his name from a Navy ship, a defense official told CNN. The order to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk – christened four years ago – is unusual but is in line with the White House mandate to reverse a number of military initiatives by Democratic presidents. The move also comes amid the administration's broader efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in government and education, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's promise to 'revive the warrior ethos' in the military. Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. His legacy as one of the first openly gay politicians elected to office in the US – and the first openly gay official elected in California – was burnished in history with an Oscar-winning biopic performance from Sean Penn. Before Milk served as a supervisor in San Francisco, the politician followed in the footsteps of his parents and served in the Navy. His service as a stateside diving instructor during the Korean War was cut short after four years when his Navy supervisors caught him at a park popular for gay men and questioned him about his sexual orientation. Decades before the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy prohibited the military from actively investigating its members' sexuality, Milk was outed and forced to resign with an 'other than honorable discharge' and the rank of lieutenant junior grade. Gay service members were not allowed to serve openly in the US until 2011. Milk later set up shop in the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco – the country's most famous 'gayborhood' – where he helped start the Castro Village Association, one of the first predominantly LGBTQ-owned business groups in the country. In 1977, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors after years running his political operation from his camera store in the Castro, where stacks of campaign posters competed for space with stacks of 35mm film. While serving as a city supervisor, Milk introduced legislation to protect the gay community, including a gay rights ordinance in 1978 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing or employment. He and other activists also succeeded in striking down Proposition 6, which would have mandated the firing of gay or lesbian teachers in California. Milk was a popular figure in San Francisco, but his actions were also controversial at times. Milk fervently encouraged gay people not to be secretive about their lives, even with hostile or unsupportive family members. 'We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I'm going to talk about it,' he said at a 1978 gay pride march. 'And I want you to talk about it.' Milk is believed to have been one of the people behind the forced media outing of Oliver Sipple, a friend and fellow veteran who was credited with saving the life of President Gerald Ford when he grabbed the arm of would-be assassin Sara Jane Moore just as she was firing her second shot in 1975. Milk's biographer Randy Shilts told The Washington Post the politician 'wanted Sipple's homosexuality made public' because it was an opportunity for the gay community to be seen in a positive light. 'For once we can show that gays do heroic things,' he told Shilts. Sipple, who had not come out to his parents and didn't want his sexuality revealed, unsuccessfully sued media organizations that reported on it, according to The Washington Post. Less than a year after Milk became a city supervisor, he and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in the San Francisco City Hall by former fellow city supervisor Dan White over a job dispute. Investigators determined that White was motivated by a political dispute rather than anti-gay animus. But a jury's decision to convict White of manslaughter rather than murder shocked the gay community and prompted rioting at City Hall, the San Francisco Examiner reported. White argued in the trial that he was not fully responsible for the killings because he was depressed and acted in 'the heat of passion.' White was sentenced to seven years in prison. Milk's legacy has never faded in San Francisco, where his bust now sits in City Hall and a school in the Castro is named after him. Milk, who told friends and loved ones he knew he was in danger of being assassinated, according to the Harvey Milk Foundation, hoped his death would inspire the cause he worked for. 'If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door,' Milk said in an audio message accompanying his will. The USNS Harvey Milk is part of a class of oilers that were designated to be named for 'people who fought for civil rights and human rights.' Some of those namesakes are people who never served in the military, including congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis and women's voting rights advocate Lucy Stone. The future of those other honors is unclear. A Navy webpage marking the beginning of construction on the USNS Thurgood Marshall has been deleted. Although much of the administration's LGBTQ rollback has been focused on the transgender community – the federal government even removed the 'T' from the abbreviation – it has also cracked down on affinity groups and barred the flying of the Pride flag at any US embassy or consulate. The administration also formally declined to recognize Pride Month, instead referring to June as 'Title IX Month,' referencing the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. The White House has cited the law in its ban on transgender women participating in women's sports. Despite the decision falling in line with White House policy, Rep. Nancy Pelosi – whose San Francisco district includes the Castro – said erasing Milk from the military is particularly insulting. 'Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos,' Pelosi said in a statement.'Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.' CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Nicquel Terry Ellis contributed to this report.
CNN
6 days ago
- General
- CNN
Gay rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy slighted by decision to rename Navy ship
American gay rights activist Harvey Milk was known for keeping his face and name on the front pages of San Francisco's newspapers. Now, as Pride Month begins, the Trump administration is set to take the almost unprecedented action of stripping his name from a Navy ship, a defense official told CNN. The order to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk – christened four years ago – is unusual but is in line with the White House mandate to reverse a number of military initiatives by Democratic presidents. The move also comes amid the administration's broader efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in government and education, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's promise to 'revive the warrior ethos' in the military. Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. His legacy as one of the first openly gay politicians elected to office in the US – and the first openly gay official elected in California – was burnished in history with an Oscar-winning biopic performance from Sean Penn. Before Milk served as a supervisor in San Francisco, the politician followed in the footsteps of his parents and served in the Navy. His service as a stateside diving instructor during the Korean War was cut short after four years when his Navy supervisors caught him at a park popular for gay men and questioned him about his sexual orientation. Decades before the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy prohibited the military from actively investigating its members' sexuality, Milk was outed and forced to resign with an 'other than honorable discharge' and the rank of lieutenant junior grade. Gay service members were not allowed to serve openly in the US until 2011. Milk later set up shop in the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco – the country's most famous 'gayborhood' – where he helped start the Castro Village Association, one of the first predominantly LGBTQ-owned business groups in the country. In 1977, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors after years running his political operation from his camera store in the Castro, where stacks of campaign posters competed for space with stacks of 35mm film. While serving as a city supervisor, Milk introduced legislation to protect the gay community, including a gay rights ordinance in 1978 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing or employment. He and other activists also succeeded in striking down Proposition 6, which would have mandated the firing of gay or lesbian teachers in California. Milk was a popular figure in San Francisco, but his actions were also controversial at times. Milk fervently encouraged gay people not to be secretive about their lives, even with hostile or unsupportive family members. 'We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I'm going to talk about it,' he said at a 1978 gay pride march. 'And I want you to talk about it.' Milk is believed to have been one of the people behind the forced media outing of Oliver Sipple, a friend and fellow veteran who was credited with saving the life of President Gerald Ford when he grabbed the arm of would-be assassin Sara Jane Moore just as she was firing her second shot in 1975. Milk's biographer Randy Shilts told The Washington Post the politician 'wanted Sipple's homosexuality made public' because it was an opportunity for the gay community to be seen in a positive light. 'For once we can show that gays do heroic things,' he told Shilts. Sipple, who had not come out to his parents and didn't want his sexuality revealed, unsuccessfully sued media organizations that reported on it, according to The Washington Post. Less than a year after Milk became a city supervisor, he and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in the San Francisco City Hall by former fellow city supervisor Dan White over a job dispute. Investigators determined that White was motivated by a political dispute rather than anti-gay animus. But a jury's decision to convict White of manslaughter rather than murder shocked the gay community and prompted rioting at City Hall, the San Francisco Examiner reported. White argued in the trial that he was not fully responsible for the killings because he was depressed and acted in 'the heat of passion.' White was sentenced to seven years in prison. Milk's legacy has never faded in San Francisco, where his bust now sits in City Hall and a school in the Castro is named after him. Milk, who told friends and loved ones he knew he was in danger of being assassinated, according to the Harvey Milk Foundation, hoped his death would inspire the cause he worked for. 'If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door,' Milk said in an audio message accompanying his will. The USNS Harvey Milk is part of a class of oilers that were designated to be named for 'people who fought for civil rights and human rights.' Some of those namesakes are people who never served in the military, including congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis and women's voting rights advocate Lucy Stone. The future of those other honors is unclear. A Navy webpage marking the beginning of construction on the USNS Thurgood Marshall has been deleted. Although much of the administration's LGBTQ rollback has been focused on the transgender community – the federal government even removed the 'T' from the abbreviation – it has also cracked down on affinity groups and barred the flying of the Pride flag at any US embassy or consulate. The administration also formally declined to recognize Pride Month, instead referring to June as 'Title IX Month,' referencing the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. The White House has cited the law in its ban on transgender women participating in women's sports. Despite the decision falling in line with White House policy, Rep. Nancy Pelosi – whose San Francisco district includes the Castro – said erasing Milk from the military is particularly insulting. 'Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos,' Pelosi said in a statement.'Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.' CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Nicquel Terry Ellis contributed to this report.
CNN
6 days ago
- General
- CNN
Gay rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy slighted by decision to rename Navy ship
American gay rights activist Harvey Milk was known for keeping his face and name on the front pages of San Francisco's newspapers. Now, as Pride Month begins, the Trump administration is set to take the almost unprecedented action of stripping his name from a Navy ship, a defense official told CNN. The order to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk – christened four years ago – is unusual but is in line with the White House mandate to reverse a number of military initiatives by Democratic presidents. The move also comes amid the administration's broader efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in government and education, as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's promise to 'revive the warrior ethos' in the military. Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. His legacy as one of the first openly gay politicians elected to office in the US – and the first openly gay official elected in California – was burnished in history with an Oscar-winning biopic performance from Sean Penn. Before Milk served as a supervisor in San Francisco, the politician followed in the footsteps of his parents and served in the Navy. His service as a stateside diving instructor during the Korean War was cut short after four years when his Navy supervisors caught him at a park popular for gay men and questioned him about his sexual orientation. Decades before the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy prohibited the military from actively investigating its members' sexuality, Milk was outed and forced to resign with an 'other than honorable discharge' and the rank of lieutenant junior grade. Gay service members were not allowed to serve openly in the US until 2011. Milk later set up shop in the Castro neighborhood in San Francisco – the country's most famous 'gayborhood' – where he helped start the Castro Village Association, one of the first predominantly LGBTQ-owned business groups in the country. In 1977, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors after years running his political operation from his camera store in the Castro, where stacks of campaign posters competed for space with stacks of 35mm film. While serving as a city supervisor, Milk introduced legislation to protect the gay community, including a gay rights ordinance in 1978 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing or employment. He and other activists also succeeded in striking down Proposition 6, which would have mandated the firing of gay or lesbian teachers in California. Milk was a popular figure in San Francisco, but his actions were also controversial at times. Milk fervently encouraged gay people not to be secretive about their lives, even with hostile or unsupportive family members. 'We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I'm going to talk about it,' he said at a 1978 gay pride march. 'And I want you to talk about it.' Milk is believed to have been one of the people behind the forced media outing of Oliver Sipple, a friend and fellow veteran who was credited with saving the life of President Gerald Ford when he grabbed the arm of would-be assassin Sara Jane Moore just as she was firing her second shot in 1975. Milk's biographer Randy Shilts told The Washington Post the politician 'wanted Sipple's homosexuality made public' because it was an opportunity for the gay community to be seen in a positive light. 'For once we can show that gays do heroic things,' he told Shilts. Sipple, who had not come out to his parents and didn't want his sexuality revealed, unsuccessfully sued media organizations that reported on it, according to The Washington Post. Less than a year after Milk became a city supervisor, he and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in the San Francisco City Hall by former fellow city supervisor Dan White over a job dispute. Investigators determined that White was motivated by a political dispute rather than anti-gay animus. But a jury's decision to convict White of manslaughter rather than murder shocked the gay community and prompted rioting at City Hall, the San Francisco Examiner reported. White argued in the trial that he was not fully responsible for the killings because he was depressed and acted in 'the heat of passion.' White was sentenced to seven years in prison. Milk's legacy has never faded in San Francisco, where his bust now sits in City Hall and a school in the Castro is named after him. Milk, who told friends and loved ones he knew he was in danger of being assassinated, according to the Harvey Milk Foundation, hoped his death would inspire the cause he worked for. 'If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door,' Milk said in an audio message accompanying his will. The USNS Harvey Milk is part of a class of oilers that were designated to be named for 'people who fought for civil rights and human rights.' Some of those namesakes are people who never served in the military, including congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis and women's voting rights advocate Lucy Stone. The future of those other honors is unclear. A Navy webpage marking the beginning of construction on the USNS Thurgood Marshall has been deleted. Although much of the administration's LGBTQ rollback has been focused on the transgender community – the federal government even removed the 'T' from the abbreviation – it has also cracked down on affinity groups and barred the flying of the Pride flag at any US embassy or consulate. The administration also formally declined to recognize Pride Month, instead referring to June as 'Title IX Month,' referencing the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. The White House has cited the law in its ban on transgender women participating in women's sports. Despite the decision falling in line with White House policy, Rep. Nancy Pelosi – whose San Francisco district includes the Castro – said erasing Milk from the military is particularly insulting. 'Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos,' Pelosi said in a statement.'Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.' CNN's Natasha Bertrand and Nicquel Terry Ellis contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bill Nye the Science Guy sparks fan frenzy as throwback photos resurface
He taught a generation about chemical reactions, gravity, and the power of asking 'why?' But now, the internet is reacting to something else entirely: Bill Nye's surprisingly swoon-worthy younger years. A viral TikTok has sent social media into a frenzy after one user posted a 'thirst edit' of the beloved science educator, showcasing clips and photos of a younger Nye in his signature bow tie, glasses, and lab coat - with just enough smolder to ignite a new wave of fans. The video has racked up millions of views and likes, as users rush to the comments to express their shock and appreciation for the former PBS star's retro good looks. For those who grew up reciting the 'Bill! Bill! Bill!' chant, it may come as a surprise that the star of Bill Nye the Science Guy, which originally aired in 1993, has become an unlikely internet heartthrob. But this isn't Nye's first time in the spotlight - and certainly not his last. While TikTok is rediscovering his 90s charm, the real Bill Nye has stayed busy with far more than viral fame. In recent years, Nye has continued to champion science education, frequently visiting schools across the U.S. and speaking with students about everything from climate change to critical thinking. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian honor in the U.S. - and remains a prominent advocate for environmental policy, regularly appearing on television and at public events to speak out against climate denial. These days, Nye is also the CEO of The Planetary Society, a nonprofit focused on space exploration. So yes, he's still saving the planet - just with fewer slow-motion science experiments and more policy briefs. Still, the internet couldn't help but pause their regularly scheduled scrolling to appreciate science's original heartthrob. 'Bill Nye the fine guy,' one TikTok user joked under the edit. 'WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH HIS GAME,' another commented. Though many users couldn't get over the absurdity of someone making a thirst edit of pictures of Bill Nye. One person commented: 'Never in my 28 years did I expect to see Bill Nye like this.' 'A Bill Nye edit was NOT on my bingo card for 2025,' another user said. 'Guys we can't be serious,' one user commented followed by laughing emojis. 'We used to watch this guy in elementary school.' Sadly for fans, Bill is currently married to Liza Mundy - a journalist and writer. The pair wed as part of a quiet ceremony in May 2022.
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
'Money does no good in a bank': World Central Kitchen's Jose Andres urges donors to give more
José Andrés remembers when he went to Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake that the government estimates killed more than 300,000 people. 'We began cooking in the streets, you know?' said the James Beard award-winning Spanish chef, whose group operates more than 40 restaurants around the world. 'I'm feeding people after an earthquake so there were no photographers or cameras, it was me with my friends doing it.' That was the start of World Central Kitchen, which has grown into a major nonprofit, raising hundreds of millions of dollars annually, as it quickly provides meals in response to humanitarian crises. Andrés' personal profile has only grown since then as well, as his NBC cooking competition show with Martha Stewart 'Yes, Chef' continues and his new book 'Change the Recipe: Because You Can't Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs' hit stores last month. 'Now, sometimes when I go, everybody seems to have a camera,' he said. 'It's OK. I just go and try to do the best I can and donate my time.' Andrés' work has drawn plenty of accolades. Earlier this year, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Joe Biden, who said the winners 'answer the call to serve and led others to do the same thing.' Ricardo Leite, senior vice president and head of international markets at Discover and president of Diners Club International, said Diners Club donated $750,000 earlier this month to World Central Kitchen to provide approximately 150,000 meals. 'When looking for a nonprofit to collaborate with for our 75th anniversary, we wanted one that builds on our Together for Change corporate social responsibility program to create change where it matters most,' said Leite. 'This collaboration allows us to pay forward our legacy by helping provide comforting meals to those most in need.' The Associated Press recently spoke with Andrés about how he is dealing with the world's ongoing crises. The interview was edited for clarity and length. _____ A: It's important for the message that it sends, not only about donating to World Center Kitchen, but the important moment that philanthropy is going to be playing in a moment where we are seeing cutbacks. USAID is not being active any more and it used to be very important around the world. NGOs (Nongovernmental organizations) like World Central Kitchen in America and overseas are important because they occupy a role that governments don't occupy very often... It sends the message to every other foundation, private business, and individuals: Everybody needs to be very thoughtful about remembering that there are organizations doing vital work to bring relief or to solve problems that many people in America or abroad are facing. A: We've never been supported really by them, but we work alongside them. World Central Kitchen is in Myanmar and in Thailand after the earthquake. In the old days, there would've been a rapid response team of USAID showing up in those scenarios to help those countries take care of their needs in an emergency. So the answer is yes. It's not only us, obviously. We're not everywhere, but where we are, usually we occupy a very big role in the initial emergency response. For us, that means activating money that helps us execute a response that is beyond meals — it's meals, it's water, everything that needs to happen. And in the best fashion of World Center Kitchen. it is channeled through the local economy, so in the process of responding to the emergency, we are helping the local economy. A: We are ready. We are waiting. We hope that common sense will prevail. We hope that hostages will be released, that civilians in Gaza will not be afraid any more of bombs falling on their heads, and where everybody, Palestinians and Israel, can hope for a better tomorrow with peace. This will only happen with a ceasefire where nobody else is dying — where Gaza is not under attack, where Israel is not under attack, where hostages are released and where the children of Gaza can go back to school and they can start dreaming of rebuilding. The vast majority of people have common sense. They want to live in peace and prosperity. We cannot let the very, very few dictate the rules on behalf of the many that want to live in peace. A: I would say money does no good in the bank. I mean it's earning interest. But I think it's good when the money is used to invest in the people and when money is an investment in a better tomorrow. ______ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit .
