The Queerest Museum in the Country
Photograph by Gerard Koskovich.
The Queerest Museum in the Country
By Stephanie Olvido
Stephanie Olvido is a writer for the Propaganda Panda, an independent blog run by teens whose purpose is “to diversify the narrative, educate the uneducated, share stories, uplift voices, and ultimately create a safe space for all.” She wrote a lovely blog post reviewing her visit to the recently reopened GLBT Historical Society museum in June. We have adapted this article from her post.
Today, we bring you to the GLBT Historical Society Museum, located in the heart of the Castro in San Francisco, with our own personal takes. The museum is run by the GLBT Historical Society, founded in 1985, and consists of two galleries. The main gallery focuses on important figures/activists, “gayborhoods,” or places with a significant LGBTQ presence, and defining eras and movements.
Major Figures and Movements
The museum has beautiful and emotional exhibits for some key players in LGBTQ history. Each exhibit has pictures of the person, a short description of their life, and newspaper clippings or other objects of that time. Among them is Harvey Milk, the first gay candidate to hold office in California in 1978, when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. His exhibit features his powerful words in his own voice and truly honors the late politician.
An honorable mention goes to the lesbian community, with Filipino activist Rose Bamberger and her girlfriend, Rosemary Sliepen, two of eight original founders of the Daughters of Bilitis, an organization that advocated for lesbian rights. In addition, the group published The Ladder, a journal for lesbians that serves as an inspiration for our magazine and blog.
While we were visiting, we saw another couple looking at a very specific section of the museum, and it evoked tears in both of them. When they left, we saw that the exhibit documents the AIDS activism of the 1980s to the 1990s. The artifacts in this section reflect that time period as if it were a looking glass. You can see the desperation and emotions in the photos, the determination in the plans for justice, and unity of the community with the artwork and memorabilia.
Overall, we think that the GLBT Historical Museum is a wonderful place to visit for LGBTQ folks. It serves as a reminder of where we've been; an eternal time capsule that breathes in the present to exhale the past. The collection of posters, advertisements and old journals enables you to see through the lives of so many LGBTQ individuals.
One last thing I'd like to praise the historical society for: intersectionality (even if I’d like to see more!). While the white patriarchy has directed its focus and fetishism on white gay men, leading to less intersectionality in our everyday lives, the museum is able to bring the issues of race and sexism in tandem. From the Japanese internment camps during World War II, to slavery, to fighting for women's rights along with gay rights, BIPOC communities are represented and included in these artifacts. You're able to see someone like yourself in these memories, LGBTQ or not.
Stephanie Olvido is a freshman at St. Francis Catholic High School in Sacramento. She is the creator of the Propaganda Panda magazine and blog, and is the head editor and writer.