julia rao’s Reviews > When We Rise: My Life in the Movement > Status Update

I am so glad to hear of Cleve’s experience with the production of “Milk” and how Dustin Lance Black won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. His acceptance speech was great and made Cleve cry.

Reading about Cleve’s travels makes me reflect on my life and choices for my future. It’s so fascinating how easily (with years of savings and staying in dreary conditions, albeit) he was able to hitchhike and find beds to sleep in, train tickets, and ways to travel across the west coast and Europe. I imagine my life on trains across Canada and France but also concern for safety and worrying about my next meal.

Great background on Cleve’s upbringing and Quaker background. He provides good historical context and background on people like Harry Hay of the Mattachine Society. “Are we a queer and distinct people, with revolutionary potential born from our experience— or are we really just like everybody else except for what we do in bed?”