Black, Penn Blast Navy’s Ship Renaming of harvey Milk Vessel

‍ ‍Updated June 4, 2025
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Academy Award winners Dustin Lance ⁣Black and Sean Penn are protesting a potential decision by the Department of Defense to⁢ rename the USNS Harvey Milk, ⁣a Navy ship named after the slain gay rights activist and San Francisco supervisor. The move is part of a wider review of ship names ordered ⁣by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Black,50,called the potential renaming a divisive ⁤tactic.”this is yet another move to distract and to⁤ fuel the culture wars⁢ that create division,” Black saeid. He added that it aimed⁤ to distance people from vital civil rights battles.

Penn, ⁢64, echoed the sentiment, criticizing‍ Hegseth’s involvement. “I’ve never before seen a secretary of Defense so aggressively demote ⁤himself to ‍the rank of⁣ Chief PETTY Officer,” Penn stated.

A leaked memo revealed that Navy Secretary John ⁤Phelan initiated the review, which includes ships named after other civil rights figures such as Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, and Cesar ⁣Chavez. The Pentagon defended⁢ the review, stating that Hegseth wants to ensure⁢ that names reflect the commander in chief’s priorities, ⁢national history, and the “warrior ethos.”

Black rebuked Hegseth’s rationale. “These guys are idiots,” Black said. “Pete Hegseth does not seem like a smart man,a wise⁤ man,a knowledgeable man. He seems small and petty. I would love to introduce him to some ⁢LGBTQ ⁣folks who ‍are warriors who have had to be warriors our entire⁣ life just to live our lives openly as who we are.”

black⁢ gained prominence after writing the screenplay for “Milk,” which chronicled Harvey Milk’s life and political career. Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.He and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978 by city supervisor Dan White.

Black emphasized Milk’s diverse background and commitment to coalition-building. Before ‍his political career,Milk⁣ worked on Wall Street,Broadway,and ⁣served‍ in the Navy. “Harvey‍ always excelled at every single thing he did, including his work ‍in the Navy,” Black said.

Black stressed Milk’s inclusive⁣ vision. “Harvey said repeatedly, ‘This is not about ego, this is about the ‘us’-es.’ And when he talked about the ‘us’-es, it wasn’t just ⁢gay people. It was racial⁤ minorities, ethnic minorities, people who didn’t speak English, seniors who couldn’t afford rent… Union workers, most importantly, who couldn’t afford to feed their children and needed a living ⁣wage. These were the ‘us’-es. This was the ⁢coalition.”

Black urged action in response to⁣ the ‍proposed renaming. “Harvey milk is an icon,a civil rights icon,and for⁢ good reason,” Black said. “That’s not going to‍ change. Renaming a ship isn’t going to change⁣ that… Stop the infighting and lock arms again. That’s what Harvey would say.”

What’s next

The Navy’s internal review is ongoing, and a formal announcement regarding the ship renaming is expected after its completion. The debate highlights ongoing‍ tensions between honoring civil rights legacies and ⁣prioritizing military traditions.