Seen = Scandal

In places and times when being an LGBTQ+ person can be dangerous or leave you vulnerable to criminal prosecution, finding ways to remain unseen can be critical to safety and survival. More than 70 countries still criminalize LGBTQ+ identities and relationships; many more have only recently become more liberal in attitude and statute. As a result, historical records often omit key aspects of the lives of people who today might identify as LGBTQ+. 

This section contains items that record moments when the lives of LGBTQ+ people have entered into the public sphere, causing what were then considered scandals. Today, we can read beyond the sometimes pejorative narratives presented in these pieces and glean valuable insights into the lives of LGBTQ+ people of the past.