Hope College bars Oscar-winning writer from roundtable discussion

Dustin Lance Black, Oscar winning screen writer of the film “Milk,” has been barred from Hope College to participate in a roundtable discussion about gay rights issues because officials say he is “an advocate.”

The Holland Sentinel reports that Hope College students invited the writer to their campus for a showing of his film Milk, followed by a talk back. But administrators nixed that plan and instead approved having Black speak to a screenwriting class.

The core of the controversy, is the subject matter of Milk. The film is about the life of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk. Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in American history. He was gunned down by fellow supervisor Dan White. White also killed Mayor George Mascone.

Black, who is gay, is an advocate for equality for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders.

And that is where Hope College officials get queasy about having the writer speak about homosexuality and equality issues.

Hope College Dean of Students Richard Frost said that from past experience, strongly-opinionated speakers usually don’t further academic discussions about gay, lesbian or transgender issues.

“We had tried to do that in the late ’90s, with little success,” Frost said. “Students and faculty on either side of the campus felt extremely hurt and marginalized.”

“We are willing to do these things, but for the college to do this, we have to be sure it’s educational,” he said. “It’s back-and-forth and educational. It’s not advocacy.”

Hope is a private four year liberal arts college located in Holland. It is affiliated with the Reformed Church of America.

Black is in West Michigan to direct a film, What’s Wrong with Virginia. It features Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly.