Capstone Description:

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  Despite its importance and impact, LGBTQ+ history is not widely taught.  The only state where it is part of the curriculum is California. Even then, the curriculum goes into effect in the 2018-2019 school year.  My goal in this project is that everyone who attends my event learns even the smallest detail about LGBTQ+ history. I hope that some individuals can learn that people with these identities are and always have been in everyday life. Using historical and archaeological examples is a great way to accomplish this. My event will host four speakers who specialize in different areas of this branch of history. Though I do not who the speakers will exactly be, I have a variety of resources with an equally wide range of knowledge. For example, I am planning to contact Dr. Helford from Middle Tennessee State University’s Women’s Center. Her expertise is in queer, film and popular culture, and Jewish American and Holocaust studies. I want to have the most diverse group of speakers I can have for only hosting four. After the event, I will be donating any leftover funds to a queer archaeology or anthropology group.

   Both LGBTQ+ students and non-LGBTQ+ students can gain a lot from this event. Everyone has the potential to realize how much of this history exists compared to how much they actually know. Even those who have an understanding of the extent of the erasure can learn more queer life in a different culture or time period. One of my goals is that everyone will be able to apply their knowledge to their form of advocacy. I hope that people outside of the community can learn something that they can use to help others un-learn their misconceptions, and those inside the community can maybe find some validation.