Harvey Milk was an important figure in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. As one of the first openly gay elected officials in California, he championed issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community, such as discrimination and equality. Milk's activism and political legacy played a pivotal role in advancing social change, inspiring generations to stand up for their rights. His visibility helped to normalize LGBTQ+ identities in mainstream society, and his tragic assassination galvanized the fight for gay rights, cementing him as a martyr for the movement.