Parties, dances, fundraisers, creative projects—such expressions of queer joy may not always be understood as political actions in the way that marches, demonstrations, and protests are. But as important venues for authenticity, pleasure, kinship, and self-expression, these gatherings and their everyday moments play a powerful role in sustaining community, creating resistance, supporting resilience, and effecting political change.
Drawn primarily from the newly acquired Fred W. McDarrah archive, with additional images and objects from the collections of The New York Historical Museum and Library, this exhibition captures moments of queer joy, agency, visibility, and power in the late 20th century—on stage, on screen, on the dance floor, and out in the streets.
Queer Joy, Gay Power is the first exhibition to be installed in The New York Historical's new James C. Hormel Hall, named in honor of the late philanthropist and diplomat James C. Hormel through the generosity of his husband, Michael Hormel. Curated by Jeanne Gutierrez, Manager of Scholarly Initiatives and Academic Affairs, and Isabelle Held, Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Gender and LGBTQ+ History.