Hope Speech

The speech and campaign address “You’ve Got to Have Hope,” now commonly called “The Hope Speech,” was first delivered at the San Francisco Community Center by Harvey Milk on June 24, 1977. Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California and a fierce advocate for gay rights and representation. This speech was first delivered to announce Milk’s candidacy for San Francisco City Supervisor, but he continued to refine it up until his death. Delivered to an audience of primarily LGBTQ+ San Franciscans, it explores themes such as LGBTQ+ Pride in Action, The Importance of Representation and Intersectional Solidarity, and Harmful Stereotypes and Heightened Expectations for Minorities.

Many versions of the speech exist. This study guide refers to page numbers from one of the final versions, delivered on June 25, 1978, available as a PDF through the University of Maryland.

Content Warning: The source material references prejudice extensively, particularly homophobia and racism, including acts of prejudice such as murder.

Harvey Milk opens with a series of political jokes—one about his desire to “recruit” the audience, one about the corruption of Chicago’s mayor, and one about anti-gay activist Anita Bryant. Since Bryant claimed that gay people were to blame for a recent drought in California, Milk notes that it began raining the day after his election as supervisor. After the jokes, which he hopes will enable his audience to “go home laughing a bit” (2), Milk asks his audience to think about their purpose in being there. He informs his audience that the supposed political movement to the right is imaginary, intended to distract from the general public’s actual interest in progressive ideas. Milk claims that getting people to talk about orientation, regardless of their beliefs on the matter, is the first step to progress and equality.

Milk urges his audience to encourage the hidden “movement to the left” (3), regardless of potential roadblocks. He identifies the CDC—the California Democratic Council, now known as the CalDC—as responsible for ongoing social progress and makes several references to specific bills and political issues relevant to his platform. One such bill is the Jarvis-Gann Amendment, which he insists will have racist effects; he asks his audience to consider whom the various ballot measures will harm or benefit.

Milk then discusses the South African consulate, insisting San Francisco’s connection with that consulate is equivalent to supporting apartheid. He asks the CDC to work to close the consulate on behalf of all the people of San Francisco who would be “second-class citizens” in South Africa.

Milk moves on to the importance of gay representation in government. He notes that many people debate whether or not gay government officials are “speaking out enough” or “strong enough” for gay rights (3). He asks his audience to set that aside, even though it might be important. Milk then comes to his pivotal point: Gay people must hold office themselves to overcome anti-gay prejudice and slander. Just like other minorities, gay people “must be judged by [their] leaders” (4). If gay people are invisible, he argues, the opposition can invent lies and stereotypes about them at will.

Using a variety of references to Black civil rights history, Milk describes the standard for those elected as representatives. He insists that they must be “strong” and “independent, unbought” to bring hope to those feeling lost and misunderstood (4). He asserts that people need leaders to look up to, or they will lose hope.

Developing this idea of hope, Milk says that he recognizes members of many marginalized groups who have lost hope and reiterates that they are important. He says that he is proud of his “gay sisters, brothers, and friends” for their bravery in the face of anti-gay bias (4). He stresses the need to remain optimistic despite recent events, such as the repealing of an equal rights bill in Dade County, Florida, and the murder of a gay person in San Francisco. Milk specifically calls out Bryant by noting that her anti-gay rhetoric is the reason young gay people need hope more than ever. He directs his speech to the crowd, insisting they must give young gay people hope of survival and progress. He calls on various marginalized groups, rhetorically labeling them the “us’es” (5), to run for office and to elect gay people to give hope to the marginalized: “[I]f a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone” (5).

In his final statement, Milk says that his personal experience of getting elected has given him hope for the future of gay people. He concludes by once again charging his audience to take responsibility for giving those around them hope.