Apropos of LGBTQ History Month (October) and reflective of a strong LGBTQ presence on a campus whose leadership seems to struggle to accept them, Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry has teamed up with Boston College Libraries to present the exhibition “Here All Along, Here to Stay: LGBTQ Catholics in the United States.”
“While antagonism between the Church and the LGBTQ community is often taken as an historical presupposition, a close look at the modern gay rights movement shows a different story,” states the show’s introduction. “This display offers the chance to ponder a journey still on-going, and rooted in over 75 years of courageous pastors, inclusive parishes, and persistent queer Catholics.”
You can catch nearly all of the exhibit online, plus, only online you’ll find supplemental info, like a digital timeline and links to more resources.
For those at BC or otherwise interested in visiting in person, the show’s also on display at multiple BC locations, including the O’Neill Library, the Theology and Ministry Library on the Brighton Campus, the Education Resource Center in Campion Hall and the Social Work Library in MdGuinn Hall.
“Exploring issues surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion has been a key strategic emphasis within Boston College Libraries for several years now,” the Theology and Ministry Library’s head librarian Steve Dalton said in a recent story in BC’s Catholic newspaper, The Torch.
The idea for the show came from a BC undergrad. “While viewing ‘blackatbostoncollege’ [a BLC exhibit last year inspired by an Instagram account of the same name] at the Theology and Ministry Library, James Reding, an openly gay student of BC’s School of Theology and Ministry (STM), envisioned a similarly toned exhibit, but one dealing with the experiences of LGBTQ people within the Catholic Church,” Dalton said.
From there, the show was created by 10 BCL staff members, an associate dean, two theology students and a member of the parish staff at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church.
For more, visit the show’s online web pages.
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