Framing Our Lives: Gay Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Experience
October 3rd, 2008
By Anonymous
The pink triangle represents more than just a community. The pink triangle represents triumph, setbacks and an unrivaled perseverance in the face of discrimination and bigotry.
The pink triangle, as many people know, is a universal symbol for the GLBT community.
Something you might not know about the pink triangle, however, is that the symbol has its roots in Nazi Germany. Patches were once sown on to the coats of concentration camp prisoners to distinguish them from the other prisoners. The pink triangle was used to discriminate, “gays, lesbians or anyone accused of having a homosexual thought.”
The “Framing Our Lives: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Experience” now on display at the Andersen Library on the West Bank chronicles remarkable stories, like the history of the pink triangle, in a timeline highlighting key contributors and events in GLBT history.
After showing all over the world, the exhibit has come to Minneapolis, celebrating its 25th year of exhibition. The display lines the walls of the second and third floor atrium of the Andersen Library and
gives an intimate look into the lives of notable GLBT people in Minnesota and around the world.
From ancient China to the Nazi Germany to Mankato, Minn., “Framing Our Lives” provides a unique
look at the events and people who have shaped GLBT theory and advancement. Among the notable contributors to a colorful GLBT history and culture mentioned in the exhibit are Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein.
Particularly interesting is the special focus on James Chalgren, founder of the GLBT Office at Minnesota State University in 1977. A trailblazer for gay rights in Minnesota, Chalgren died of liver
failure in 2000. He is the subject of one of the special collections held at Andersen Library. Understanding Chalgren’s story is vital to understanding the remarkable journey of GLBT rights, particularly, in Minnesota.
The free exhibit will run through October 30 in the Atrium Room and the second and third floors of
the Elmer L. Anderson Library (University of Minnesota West Bank).
