I am creating a gay history information table for pride at a retirement community: What would you want included?
What would you show to illustrate the importance of gay culture and history?
Current ideas: Static table set up for June. They see it when they enter the lobby/on way to lunch. Can stop and read, cannot miss it.
Start at antiquity, show Sappho, Egyptian tombs, historical erasure.
Go to middle ages/ Renaissance, Christian persecution. Advent of modern institutionalized hate.
Modern, 20s acceptance to return of conservatism, stonewall 70s lib movement, law and protection creation. End with a photo of Jonathon Joss to really turn the knife that it hasn't fucking gone away.
Want to also highlight specific people in the eras. Maybe 1 to 5 with space we have. Harvey milk, Wendy Carlos, Alan Turing.
Looking for any suggestions to really make this a specisl learning experience/ way for the elder gays there to feel appreciated. Know we have a few and they're surrounded by a sea of conservative pricks.
Thank you!!!!
Tldr: suggestions for an educational gay history table. Elderly demographic.
2 replies
If you can, try to get some of the attendees to record their experiences with gay culture and the Community as a whole - autobiographical writing is good, but an interview format would be better I think (sufficient staff/volunteers permitting)
It would be a nice way to demonstrate how even if they aren't queer, they have a place and impact on the community, as well as recording stories that will likely be lost in a few years.
It's fairly recent, but Matthew's law:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_and_James_Byrd_Jr._Hate_Crimes_Prevention_Act