How is politics preserved and achieved? And what are the duties and functions that people and communities must fulfill in this regard?
wants to inspire people to think about these issues through two forthcoming gay activism exhibits that will explore the intersectionality and history of queer activism. Beginning April 16, the traveling expresses will make their first halt in Philadelphia.
” Philadelphia is the origin of the country”, Robert Kesten, senior director of the Stonewall National Museum and director of the displays, said of the decision to debut the displays in Philadelphia.
” Being in a city where so many people of all kinds of races, creeds, and colors have stood up is very important to amplify any plea to be awake for the upcoming vote, and the importance that people have to perform in preserving and strengthening democracy”
Residents claim that Philadelphia’s vibrant gay communities and history are at the center of the city’s decision to launch the traveling show.
According to John Anderies, chairman of the John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives and Library and the William Way LGBT Community Center,” Some people believe that Gay history began and was accomplished in places like New York and San Francisco.”
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Prior to the rebellion at Stonewall, Anderies said, Philly was house to lively queer independence movements and officials, including Barbara Gittings, who were born there during the Time picketing in front of Independence Hall in the 1960s.
He claimed that the people present and the work they did had a significant impact on the shift.
The significance of intersectionality in the promotion of equal rights across areas is illustrated in one of the future exhibits,” Standing on the Arms of Heroes.”
” As we were looking at the history of the LGBTQ independence movement, it has become clearer and clearer, they’re in many ways built on the activities that came earliest”, Kesten said. ” And but, generally, usually when we looked at the LGBTQ independence movement, we saw queer white people”.
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While showcasing the incredible variety that the LGBTQ independence movements had,” Standing on the Arms of Heroes” explores the ways in which philosophies from movements like work, women, and civil rights have impacted the movement for gay rights.
The exhibit will feature “bigger than life-size” portraits of people who have directly affected LGBTQ rights since the 1940s, including Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, the first trans women to founded Star, the first trans organization to help homeless children in the community.
” We’re hoping people recognize that the queer community is every other community”, Kesten said. ” What this exhibit says to us is that we really are the bridge to every other community and]we are ] the people who can unlock that commonality we all have, because we’re in every religion, every color, every nationality, every ethnicity”.
” I hope this exhibit demonstrates our strength,” said one visitor.
The exhibit resonates deeply with some queer Philadelphians because of the intersectionality that exists in many of the city’s diverse communities.
” I have always believed that the LGBTQ community, we truly have something so special in the sense that we are so incredibly diverse”, said Nellie Fitzpatrick, a Philadelphia lawyer. I hope that a work like this will demonstrate our strength and that understanding that power is a necessity now more than ever will be.
The other exhibit,” Never Silent”, takes inspiration from the resounding lesson of the AIDS epidemic: Silence equals death.
” We look at what it means to be silent”, Kesten asked. The attempt to silence those who try to sabotage democracy and human rights is made. And those who are trying to preserve those things are the ones who are trying the hardest.
Large portraits of each will be exhibited in the exhibit, which will feature queer activist Wanda Sykes and conservative commentator Candace Owens. These two types of people are known for their silence and their refusal to remain silent.
” We look at what it means to be silent”.
Additionally, there will be images of libraries with books that have been banned in schools across the country and those that have been on the bookshelf at the Stonewall Museum. If people do n’t have access to books, Kesten said, there cannot be a more perfect union.
The exhibit concludes with the statement,” We are so close to having the world we would like.” ” But so are they”.
From April 16 to April 25, the Drexel URBN Center will house the films” Never Silent” and” Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes.” The center will be open Monday through Friday, 7: 45 a. m. to 10 p. m.
