Plan of Exhibition Only recently Gay History has begun to emerge from the closet. This collection is a pioneer in the field of gay and lesbian culture. It brings to light many great personalities, both well-known and obscure, who have as a common thread their sexual orientation. The achievements and contributions of these people have enriched humankind, and thus have been honored in the philatelic pantheon. Greek and Roman mythological figures often had ennobling homosexual and bisexual relationships. These glorious takes served as inspiration for artists, sculptors, and poets through the centuries. Gay and bisexual behavior was commonplace among the populace. For example, same-sex love was as prevalent as heterosexuality in the city-states of Greece, and homosexual comradeship was a bedrock component of martial spirit. This dark time of oppression of mankind and the suppression of knowledge, nevertheless beheld the flourishing of same-sex love in the upper strata of society. Centers of learning, such as abbeys, not only kept the beacon of knowledge alight, but also provided a homosexual subculture producing gay-themed prose and poetry. This time period saw a reawakening of the human spirit. The greatest of gay artists and writers created unparalleled masterpieces. Tedious theological condemnations of homosexuality were widely ignored. During this time, Asian countries were largely free of sexual repression. A quest for independence sweeps Western society. Same-sex relationships flourish among many of the most important and influential people of the time. France decriminalizes homosexual behavior in 1791. Scientific knowledge and technical achievements advance at a remarkable pace. American arts and letters flourish, too, with the talents of extraordinary gay individuals such as Whitman, Thoreau and Dickinson. Puritanical ideas concerning sex became fashionable in England and America. Although Spain, Portugal, and Italy decriminalized oppressive sexual laws during the 1800s, England imprisoned Oscar Wilde. Education, freedom of thought, and self-pride finally do battle against repressive moral statutes. Smoldering emotions erupt on the evening of June 25, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, in New York City; police harassment is challenged. There is no turning back, the Gay Rights Movement is born!
|