Independence Day: Harvey Fierstein

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June 6, 1952, Harvey Fierstein, the American actor and playwright is birthed to Jacqueline Harriet and Irving Fierstein of Brooklyn, New York. Harvey Fierstein’s screen success came in a few highly acclaimed films: “Mulan”, “Independence Day”, and “Mrs. Doubtfire”, just to name a few. These lists of movies have captured the attention of many, but his initial claim to fame is his playwriting ability. The playwright turned actor began his writing career in high school, where he enrolled in creative writing. It was at this time his frankness for being gay was no secret. He performed in numerous drag events growing up. These events ultimately pushed him into his Broadway success and being an activist for the gay population.
Furthermore, a few of his plays are written about drag queens and others about being gay. Mr. Fierstein grew up in a time when being gay was a very hard lifestyle to be open about. Over the decades the support group lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community or better known as LGBT, has supported the mass movement worldwide. Mr. Fierstein set out to illustrate to the world that it is ok to be yourself and that the LGBT community will not accept any more bigotry. His plays focus on the hardships faced by the oppressed and the tyrants.
In his play “On Tidy Endings, a lover and ex-wife have gathered to sign documents and tie up loose ends after the death of a man. It was during the conception of this play that most Americans mandated being homosexual was a crime against god. These actions came because of a belief that god created man for woman, and woman for man. I believe Mr. Fierstein’s theme is to show people same sex marriage does not differ from any other, but it is the judgment by those who do not unde...

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... homosexual being felt in the world around the 1970’s and 1980’s. The time period in which this play was written was one of great dissonance to the LGBT movement. For Harvey Fierstein to be so bold and public with his own lifestyle was truly admirable and brave. Fierstein shows us that ignorance can destroy a life because of what is unknown.

Works Cited

"Biography." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
"Fierstein's `On Tidy Endings' Touching But Not Far-reaching." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 10 Jan. 1993. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
Fierstein, Harvey. "On Tidy Endings (1986)." MissyJames, Alan P. Merickel. Reading Literature and Writing Arguments. n.d. 494-504.
"Harvey Fierstein." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.
Simon, Rachel. "Harvey Fierstein on Russia's Anti-gay Laws: 'You Cannot Just Ignore Evil'" Msnbc.com. NBC News Digital, 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

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