Outing the Past: Queering History and Historicizing the Queer

Session Abstract

The theme for the conference is "Disagreement, Debate, Discussion," which speaks directly to current conversations (or the squashing of conversations) about the utility, role, and impact of LGBT histories in K-12 and college/university education. Susan K. Freeman has agreed to chair the panel. You may know that she and Leila J. Rupp are co-editing a book "Understanding and Teaching U.S. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender History" for the University of Wisconsin Press, though Susan is also working on a new research project about the history of LGBT studies/history in college curricula. Leila J. Rupp will present new research on the impact of queer theory and queer studies, in historical and contemporary contexts, on queer women's identities. Darnell L. Moore will share observations and analysis from his work as educational director of Hetrick-Martin Institute in NYC and his work as a community archivist of the Newark (NJ) queer community. Cat Jacquet will speak about teaching trans* history — developing the course as well as the experience itself. Colin Johnson will address the uncompensated emotional labor of teaching LGBT histories. Stephanie Gilmore will round out the panel, speaking to the topic of teaching butch/femme lesbian history in these gender-fluid and gender-queer times.