ne of the very first gay beach towns in the United States, Cherry Grove on Fire Islandbecame a weekend and summer destination for the LGBTQ community in the years before the Stonewall riots, widely considered one of the most important events leading to the gay liberation movement. At a time when homosexuality was considered both a crime and a mental illness, Cherry Grove provided sanctuary from persecution, creating a space for the community to enjoy the pleasures of life on their own terms.
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In the new exhibition, Safe/Haven: Gay Life in 1950s Cherry Grove, curators Brian Clark, Susan Kravitz, and Parker Sargent of the Cherry Groves Archives Collection bring together 70 enlarged photographs and additional ephemera that offer a window into this extraordinary chapter of American history. Featuring images made at the beach, theater performances, art exhibitions, Duffy’s Hotel bar, the annual regatta, and end-of-season costume ball, where revelers could openly flout laws against cross-dressing, the exhibition celebrates the power of joy, love, and resilience just in time for Pride Month.
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“Hate and homophobia often forced homosexuals to live in secret in order to protect their own safety and reputations,” says Clark. “Salvaging our gay history is critically important to validate the ways we existed. We honor our gay elders and gay ancestors by telling the truth about their joys and struggles along with acknowledging their leading contributions to our world.”
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