All content credited to Chris González LaCorte
Q
In recent years, I’ve learned that fewer folks want to learn about their LGBTQ history. Many folks I know have no idea what Stonewall is or was, amongst other things. What is your suggestion for making sure that we keep our history alive?
A
People are going to want to learn only if they want to. Education can be like therapy in the sense that if you think someone might need it, they have to want it for themselves as well. If they want to learn about queer history, there are many resources to help them learn. But we also have to make sure that stories continue to get told. I always like to chat with my queer elders and learn about their coming out stories, for example, because I know theirs is much different than mine. And while everyone has a different story that is intriguing and unique, if you start to show interest in their story, then they might begin to learn and listen to others as well! Everyone wants to share their story with someone because it can be therapeutic, but it’s a matter of understanding how and when it is appropriate to learn and ask questions.
