Harvey Milk exhibit causes uproar over Catholic imagery

According to Susan Stryker, the event's curator, the installation courted controversy long before its inception.

"Some feel that 'Saint Harvey' represents a Christian appropriation of a Jewish figure, others feel that it represents a religious appropriation of a secular figure, and others still [feel] that the altar-like installation of Milk's bloody, bullet-riddled clothing in the shape of a crucifix is simultaneously sacrilegious, exploitative, and disrespectful," Stryker said in a curatorial statement.

Other people, according to Stryker, have found the piece to be a "sobering testament to the power of homophobia, as well as searing monument to the triumph of the queer spirit."

For the history buff, the exhibit offers a treasure trove of artifacts. There is a photo exhibit of Milk's New York youth, his days as a camera-store operator and mementos from the nascent stages of his political career.

In keeping with the Catholic theme, artist Robert Lentz portrays Milk with a halo in the background, with Latin lettering, holding a candle and wearing an armband emblazoned with a pink triangle, symbolizing the gay liberation movement.

The exhibit inaugurates the new Mission Street home of the GLBT Historical Society, where it merged with the International Museum of GLBT History.

Other items on display include memorabilia from the volatile and groundbreaking decade that gave birth to the gay rights movement, including the pen that Milk used to sign the nation's first legislation outlawing discrimination against gays and lesbians.