 |
Outright Vermont in the News: Most Recent Article: August 19, 2008 http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080819/NEWS02/808190312 August 19, 2008: Holocaust
exhibit on persecution of gays opens at UVM Most Americans learned the basics of the Holocaust in high school history class -- during the 1930s and 1940s, millions of Jews were put to death by the Nazis who wanted to create a master Aryan race. That's all many people feel they need to know about one of the worst human atrocities on record. But Jews were not the only people exterminated in Nazi death camps, and a new exhibit in the University of Vermont's Living/Learning Gallery shines a light on another group persecuted by Hitler's regime. The exhibit-- "Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945"-- documents the treatment of gay men and lesbians during Nazi rule. It is the first exhibit from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to be displayed in Vermont. The traveling exhibit, which first opened in Washington, D.C., in 2002, will be on display at UVM until Sept. 30. Organizers of the exhibit say photos, documents, texts and other artifacts will help add to the public's understanding of how marginalized communities were treated in Germany during that time. It is estimated that in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler came to power, 1 million homosexual men lived in Germany. Shortly after Hitler's ascendance, the Gestapo began to gather information on gay men so that they might be charged with "indecent acts" under Nazi law. Between 1934 and 1940, thousands of gay men were sent to prison for violation of Paragraph 175 of the German Penal Code. In 1940, Heinrich Himmler, head of the Gestapo, ordered that all homosexuals convicted under Paragraph 175 be sent to concentration camps upon their release from prison. The homosexual population joined other groups targeted for extermination including Poles, Gypsies, Soviet POWs, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the mentally and physically disabled. Of the 50,000 men arrested for the crime of homosexuality, an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 were sent to concentration camps. It is unknown how many died in the camps. Anne Barlow, co-director of the Living/Learning Gallery, helped bring the exhibit to campus and was drawn to the exhibit because of its potential impact. Because the Nazis were fastidious record-keepers, the documentation of those targeted populations is exhaustive. "It's really intense, very overwhelming," Barlow said. "I hope it gives people pause and makes them think," Barlow said. Outright Vermont, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth advocacy organization, partnered with UVM to bring the exhibit to campus. Executive director Christopher Neff says the exhibit helps draw attention to invisible communities that continue to be oppressed, which fits in with his organization's educational mission. "The Holocaust is an example of invisible and visible communities that are perceived to be different," Neff said. "When you begin to marginalize one community, you marginalize all communities." As a part of the exhibit, Outright Vermont is partnering with Ohavi Zedek Synagogue to host forums involving Jewish and queer youths. Neff envisions the discussions centered around what it means to be Jewish in Vermont, as well as what it means to be gay or lesbian in the state. Barlow sees the exhibit as relevant to the Vermont community because there is still much to learn about difference. "This exhibit
is really important in this day and age when we continue to say we're
really open, but are we?" Barlow said. Previous Articles about Outright's work: July, 2008: Vermont Business Magazine - US Holocaust
Memorial Museum Exhibition comes to Vermont June 10: Burlington Free Press - Holocaust Museum exhibition
on homosexual persecution planned at UVM June 9: WCAX, TV Channel 3 - Holocaust Exhibit on Homosexuals
Coming To Vermont May 7: New England Blade - Vermont Youth Pride All-Around
Success, Say Event Organizers May 2: WCAX, TV Channel 3 - Gay Youth Mark Pride Day May 2: Burlington Free Press - Outright Vt. launches
Melissa Etheridge Concert Contest May 2: New England Blade - Outright Vermont Launches
Melissa Etheridge Concert Contest April 17: Burlington Free Press April 17: Burlington Free Press: April 16: Montpelier Times Argus – Silent Effort
for Gay Rights Jan. 26: Burlington Free Press - Washington lobbyist
turns Vt. youth advocate Jan. 24: In News Weekly (Boston) - Outright Vermont
targets queer youth Jan. 24: Franklin County Courier - Outright Vermont
launches rural campaign Jan. 22: Rutland Herald- Gay advocate group launches
campaign Jan. 18: Montpelier Times Argus - Outright Vermont launches
statewide outreach effort Jan. 17, 2008: WCAX TV Channel 3 - Gay group reaches
out to teens Dec. 10, 2007: Vermont Public Radio - Outright Vermont
gets new executive director Dec. 06, 2007: The Advocate - Outright Vermont Names
New Executive Director Dec. 03, 2007: Burlington Free Press - Outright Vermont
hires new executive director
| |||
Donate Now | Calendar | Join Outright | Volunteer | Fundraising | Contact Us | Links | Board of Directors Login | Site Map
About
Us: Mission |
Staff | News | Financial | Photo Gallery
Youth Services: Social & Support Groups | Youth Pride | Other Hip Events | Youth Activism | Advocacy & Support
Education: Speaker's
Bureau | Workshops | Vermont's
Gay/Straight Alliances | Vermont Queer Youth Stats
Resources: Youth Health | For
Parents | Cliff
Rivers Memorial Library | Materials
Outright Vermont P.O. Box 5235 Burlington, VT 05402 800-GLB-CHAT info @ outrightvt.org
All content copyright ©OutrightVT 2008.
Vermont website design, graphic design, and web hosting provided by Vermont Design Works