Will SFO Change to Harvey Milk International Airport?

San Francisco supervisor David Campos is working to ensure visitors to his city will land in Harvey Milk International Airport.

The gay supervisor will introduce legislation Tuesday to change the name of San Francisco International Airport to honor the late city supervisor and LGBT rights icon Harvey Milk. Campos will need the support of five other supervisors to get the proposition on the city's ballot in November. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, there were already four other cosponsors, including out supervisor Scott Wiener, who represents the same area that Milk did in the 1970s. 

SFO would become the first airport named after an openly gay person. Currently, about 80 of America's airports are named after famous people.

While it will cost an estimated $50,000-$250,000 to make the change official, Campos said there may be enough private donations to help cover the cost. 


Stuart Milk, the nephew of the late supervisor, said this change will have "huge implications" for the 9 million visitors coming from countries around the world -- especially those from countries where LGBT citizens are oppressed.

"To be in Dubai, and see on the board a flight that ends at Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport, or to be a young Pakistani, in a country where it is illegal to be gay, look up and see the name of a gay icon and feel, 'I am not alone,'" he said.