About the author: Julia Triezenberg is the Education Supervisor at Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria. She oversees the museum's adult education programming and the Volunteer Program.
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and there are many ways your organization can honor the experiences of Queer people in your community through collections work, education programs, and staff training.
It’s a good idea to periodically inventory your organization’s collection to look for any gaps in representation. Some collections can focus heavily on some topics while missing key chapters in a community’s story. Whose experiences are not being fully depicted through the objects you care for?
These missing links could also be in your institution’s database. For example, what verbiage does the database use to search for these communities?
Some phrases referring to LGBTQ+ people can be outdated or euphemisms - like “transgendered” instead of “transgender,” or “effeminate,” “fruity,” or “butch.” It’s possible that some of these stories are hidden because of the language used to track them down in the database.
For educational programs, take time to evaluate what your organization currently offers. Do you have programming intended for the LGBTQ+ community? If the answer is no, why not?
If you do offer programming that focuses on Queer experiences, when do you typically schedule it? A common dynamic among public history institutions is to only offer LGBTQ-related programs during June because of its designation as Pride Month.
Unfortunately, this can make Queer people feel like they are being tokenized or are a box to “check off” for the sake of representation. If you’re thinking about organizing new programming, consider offering it outside the window of Pride celebrations. Affirming that the LGBTQ+ community deserves to be proud all year long builds trust in your commitment to the cause.
OMA member Museum of Natural and Cultural History's exhibit Transgressors, about now and future Indigiqueer ancestors, is on view now through January 4 of next year. The museum also collaborated with their University of Oregon colleagues on an exhibit about the history of Eugene's lesbian community, Outliers and Outlaws, which will be on view at OMA member Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education June 8 - October 26.
OMA members Coos History Museum and Columbia River Maritime Museum have partnered with local LGBTQ+ advocacy and support groups for Pride Month activities.
Think about how your organization’s mission statement can expand to include more of the communities whose stories might be as well represented. Many areas across Oregon have local LGBTQ+ advocacy and support groups who are also working to expand safe spaces for Queer people. This could be a great opportunity to connect with each other and collaborate to share resources.
Local advocacy groups can also be a source for staff training to build your organization’s capacity to serve LGBTQ+ people in a safe and affirming way. With staff and volunteers coming from all different walks of life, it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page with using updated language when referring to the Queer community. This also can help any LGBTQ+ staff feel more supported, whether they are “out” or not.
Aside from trainings, are there any professional development or enrichment opportunities you can offer that lift up Queer voices? Rather than a mandatory training being staff and volunteers’ only exposure to LGBTQ-related content, try to plan for regular opportunities that show you are prioritizing Queer voices. Consistent, good-faith efforts to make your organization a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people is key for the long-term health of these relationships.
There are a variety of organizations in Oregon already working to provide LGBTQ+ resources to their community. These are just a few:
