While many are out and proud year round (especially in New York), Pride Month offers an opportunity to intentionally celebrate and reflect on queer legacies.
New York City has one of the richest histories of LGBTQ+ activism and culture, and public space has played an integral role in shaping it. The overt and accessible nature of public space has made it a tool for queer visibility, providing a stage for the proud refusal of conformity largely considered foundational to queerness. On the other hand, the policing and informal privatization of public spaces has pushed many parts of queer culture to develop indoors or in obscurity. Either way, the connection between New York City queerness and public space is undeniable. Here are five ways to explore that link this June and beyond:
1. Read: We Come in Waves: An Oral History Guide for Queer Riis by the People’s Riisearch Group
Riis Beach, a sandy stretch at the west end of the Rockaway Peninsula, has been an important gathering space for NYC’s LGBTQ+ community since the 1940s. In 2023, former Design Trust fellow Jah Elyse Sayers launched the People’s Riisearch Group with founding members lex barlowe, dash pinheiro, and Safiyyah Riddle, to collect, share, and preserve stories and experiences of queer Riis Beach and its community members. To learn more about the impact of Riis Beach, view the project zine and living collaborative document.
2. Tour: Queer Happened Here by Marc Zinaman
Queer Happened Here is a visual history of New York City’s queer spaces produced by NYC-based writer and queer historian Marc Zinaman. The book compiles historic photographs, posters, and other materials for a look into the history of New York City queer culture. To tour the iconic locations featured in the book, follow the accompanying interactive map.
3. Learn: Cruising Place: The Placemaking Practices of Men who Have Sex with Men
John Bezemes is an urban designer, researcher, and educator based in NYC. A 2018 graduate of the Pratt Institute’s Urban Placemaking & Management program, John’s research focuses on LGBTQ+ placemaking practices. Learn more about NYC-based queer placemaking through John’s project, Cruising Place: The Placemaking Practices of Men who Have Sex with Men.
4. Visit: Stonewall Inn State Historic Site
Stonewall Inn, the iconic Greenwich Village gay bar, has been dedicated as a National Historic Landmark for its importance to LGBTQ+ activism. In 1969, the streets outside of the Stonewall were occupied for six nights by thousands of community members protesting violence and discrimination against queer people. Visit the site to learn more about Stonewall’s ongoing legacy.
5. Watch: Lesbians Eat Fire, Too
Beginning in the 1990s, the Lesbian Avengers activated New York’s public spaces for lesbian rights and visibility, beginning with a call to “Ask about Lesbian lives”. Since then, the group has dedicated themselves to grassroots activism and education. Watch the hour-length documentary on YouTube to learn more about their work and impact.
There are many ways to stay engaged with queer history and culture outside of this shortlist. The Alice Austen House is open year-round for more education on local queer history and supporting community-informed public space. The Alice Austen House is our current community partner on the Untaped initiative to remove barriers around local public space programming, and was a site for the Turnout NYC project.
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