Photography Exhibit Shines A Light On Homeless LGBT Youth

This eye-opening photography exhibition opens at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York City on July 17. The New York City exhibition, titled “Queers in Exile: the Unforgotten Legacies of LGBTQ Homeless Youth,” takes a closer look at the personal histories of LGBT youth from the Stonewall Riots to present day. The collection itself was inspired by transgender activist Sylvia Rivera’s essay “Queens in Exile, the Forgotten Ones,” which calls for drastic change in the way homeless youth are treated.

The museum describes the motivation behind the exhibition:
It is a view of history told by those who live/lived it within a community often silenced and ignored, but the vision goes beyond visibility. It is about collective memory and conscience, and repositioning queer homeless young people from ‘other’ to ‘our own.’ By recognizing the strengths of generations who have survived on the streets and the valuable legacies they have created in our community, this exhibition acts as an intervention. It offers homeless youth a place by grounding them within an empowered history and lineage, honors their struggle, and reflects that they matter.

The collection will be on exhibit at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art.

It is being presented as part of the All Out Arts Fresh Fruit Festival.

Source: Buzzfeed.com