Gay icon gay rights. Milk's image as a positive role model led to him becoming the namesake for the first high school designed primarily for gay teenagers, the Harvey Milk High School, in the East Village of New York City. The portrayal of those efforts in the critically acclaimed film "Milk" earned Sean Penn an Oscar and comparisons to the contemporary battle over the anti-gay ballot initiative Proposition 8 raging in California at the time of the film's release in 2008. An ironic icon is Anita Bryant, who worked to oppose homosexuality. During the 1970s, Bryant led a national campaign, "Save Our
Brokeback Mountain ("The Talented Mr. Ripley"), then a cowboy movie ("All the Pretty Horses"). I can't follow it up with a gay-cowboy movie!" Van Sant went on to make the biographical film "Milk", based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk. Joel Schumacher was also linked with the project prior to Lee's involvement. When Ang Lee first heard of the story and screenplay, he attempted to get the film made as an independent producer. However, this did not work out and before Lee would take a break after finishing "Hulk" he got into contact with co-screenwriter and CEO