Looking Ahead
In this section, you will find future resources to utilize in doing queer historical work pertaining to UVA and Charlottesville, as well as tips (listed below) from curator Chad Kamen.
So you’re interested in doing queer historical work? That’s amazing! Below are five tips I would say to anyone doing this type of archival research, as it can often be tricky.
- Constantly collaborate with the people or communities you intend to represent.
- Centralize consent. Whether it be in using a photo or someone’s story, remember that - above all else - you are intervening in the memory of a person’s life. In turn, it is important to note that archiving efforts have the potential to out people, as well as to disclose information that individuals might want to remain confidential. Thus, always checking in when one has doubts and developing a standard procedure for use of information (including a plan for how people can have their information redacted if necessary) are key.
- Navigate finding information as if you were looking for resources during an earlier time. What words would you use? What websites would you have access to? In times before the mass availability of the Internet, what books or periodicals would you turn to in order to find advice? How would you find local community?
- As language is such a critical part of queerness, ensure that your work engages with the terms used by community members - not just those imposed from institutional forces. Additionally, design a research framework that includes policies for naming (ensuring no one is referred to by their dead name).
- Take care of yourself. This work, while filled with joy and beauty and love, can be intense, even re-traumatizing for a queer memory worker. Having a strong support network is critical, as is having in place methods for debriefing after a trip to the archives. If you need help immediately, the number for the Trevor Project, a free and confidential queer hotline, is 1-866-488-7386.
Image Credit: Handwritten flyer boycotting the Virginian and the Mousetrap from Apr. 1975. UVA Queer History Project, https://web.archive.org/web/20081120135711/http://www.uvaqueerhistory.org/Documents/19750401_Handwritten_Boycott_Virginian_Mousetrap.pdf.