Milk
scribe Dustin Lance Black took home his first Oscar for Best
Original Screenplay Sunday night, taking the opportunity to
make a political statement on same-sex marriage with a moving
acceptance speech.
"When I was 13
years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a
conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas, to California
and I heard the story of Harvey Milk," Black said, choking
back tears. "And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to
live my life, it gave me the hope to one day live my life
openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and
one day get married.
"If Harvey Milk
were alive today, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay
and lesbian children out there who have been told that they are
less than by their churches or by the government or by their
families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures who have
value. No matter what anybody tells you, God does love you and
that very soon you will have equal rights federally across this
great nation of ours."
Black said hearing the
story of Harvey Milk was a "lifesaver."
The telecast of the
Oscars in India reportedly censored Black's speech.
According to
Towleroad.com,
as Indians celebrated the numerous wins for
Slumdog Millionaire
, all references to
Milk
seemed to be cut, including Black's win, and scenes shown
in montages for the film.
Homosexuality has been
criminalized in India since the 1860s. India is one of about 36
countries where homosexuality is still banned in residual
British colonial laws, despite being free from colonial rule
for 60 years, according to Human Rights Watch. Police have
legal leeway to enforce strict punishment on those who are
targeted for being gay or lesbian, including harassment,
extortion, arbitrary detention, and forced placement into
psychiatric hospitals.
Milk
was all but shut out of the Golden Globes last month. The film,
one of the year's best reviewed, managed to score only one
nomination -- for Sean Penn. Just three years before,
Brokeback Mounatin
took home four Golden Globes, including Best Picture.
But in an upset, on
Oscar night
, Brokeback
lost to
Crash
for Best Picture. Director Ang Lee did take home the gold for
Best Director, but many in the gay community suggested the loss
might be due to a "homophobic" Academy.
Milk
trailed
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
and
Slumdog Millionaire
in overall nominations, though pre-awards show predictions had
Milk
running neck in neck with those films in several
categories.
Black went into Sunday
night's ceremonies the favored winner for penning
Milk
's screenplay. (Advocate.com)
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