The NYPL online exhibition of Gay Liberation (1969) sheds light on the major turning point in the politics of sexuality in America. The introduction provides background information about the origins of gay liberation- specifically referencing the homophile movement and the stonewall riots. The exhibit also elaborates on the Mattachine Society of New York, begin by Harry Hay in Los Angeles in 1951- which focused on providing protective social networks and outlets for social activism. The exhibit also provided information about several activist groups, such as the Radicalesbians, Gay Activists Alliance (GAA), and the International Gay Information Center- which donated archives and collections to the NYPL, helping to elucidate predisposed notions that the public held about the LGBT population.
Personally, I learned a lot about the key figures involved in the movement and the groups that emerged as a result of the movement. I think it’s very important to learn about our history as a nation- including the controversial stuff. Race, ethnicity, and gender are not brought up enough in the classrooms and leads to misconceptions and misunderstandings. Exhibits that shed light on these issues help clarify those predisposed notions and make our nation more understanding as a whole.
The social oppression facing these groups has existed for decades- transvestites and transsexuals have been a particularly vulnerable group. The exhibit provided information about STAR (Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries), and how pioneering drag queens Sylvia RIvera and Marsha P. Johnson were active on the front lines of both GLF and GAA- both of whom were veterans of the Stonewall Riots.
Title of Work: 1969: The Year of Gay LIberation
Materials/medium: Archival Information, Photos
Genre: Political Activism
Location/venue: NYPL
I was alone when I viewed this exhibit
