Queer in the History Musuem

I've often noticed that museums approach queer culture as parenthetical to the greater historical context. This idea was the at the core of the exhibit Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, exposing that queer desire is not tangential to the cannons of American art but a recognizable thread throughout. This idea applies to the influence of queer culture on American history, its not tangential but influential.

Many museum are reexamining how to address queer history as a non tangential element included in the greater story. However, we live in a world caught up with being politically correct. This desire to be "pc" comes from our nation's history which is littered with cultural miscommunications and biases. To avoid repeating the mistakes of previous generations many are left navigating a rugged path to successfully address queer history in a politically correct and socially cogent manner. 

Navigating that path can be very difficult but Seattle's Museum of History and Industry took the lead with style. The Museum of History and Industry developed an award wining program called MOHAI Minutes, a program dedicated to creating short videos of two residents stumbling upon different elements of Seattle's diverse past. These videos highlight places, events and themes that built Seattle into what it is today. It's a history adventure that won't make you fall asleep!

Recently MOHAI  Minutes sucessfully addressed Seattle's queer past and all the while remaining "pc," proving it can be done! The video discussed Shelly's Leg, a disco bar that had an influential role in Seattle's queer past during the 1970's. The video does an excellent job of illuminating the rise and fall of Shelly's Leg and its impact on Seattle's queer history. Not to give away too many of the interesting factoids, this disco was the first gay - straight alliance in Seattle's queer nightlife. First we danced together, now we can get married together. Watch it, you wont be sorry.