MoPop’s Gone Gay This Summer

MoPop, the Museum of Pop Culture is always kinda gay…I mean, gay folks largely invented CULTURE in general and we certainly put the POP into it. There’s always something over the top and campy to see at MoPop…including the currently running Disney Costume exhibit which is chock full of dreamy fairy princess gowns being a very obvious example.

But, this summer they have a hyper specific traveling exhibit to gay up everyone’s lives with Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement opened up over Pride Weekend last month and features an informative and fun walk through of recent LGBTQ history. The exhibit utilizes photos, videos, blow ups of archival print media and other documents as well as actual pieces of wardrobe and costumes.

For older LGBTQ people who know their history, there’s probably not a lot you didn’t already know but it’s always fun to “brush up”. And, for newer/younger LGBTQ folks and allies, it’s a great way to get a general overview of a LOT of queer history, both good, bad and over exposed. (The exhibit was created a few years ago and frankly suffers a tad from too much Ellen de Generes and WAAAAAAAY too much coverage of a certain Ms Jenner) but…it’s tough to curate these sorts of exhibits and overall, it’s a useful and entertaining look at over 60 years of LGBTQ culture.

The last part of the exhibit also features local content including costumes from local icons like Dina Martina, Aleksa Manila and pioneering gay country singer Patrick Haggerty and images of local LGBTQ people who have made a difference in the Seattle area. There’s a few glaring omissions in this part of the show, including no mention of Seattle Gay News editor/publisher George Bakan who passed away last year or even Ric Weiland the Microsoft executive who left millions of dollars to LGBTQ non-profits. A little more research on their part by talking to local queer elders MIGHT have been wise.

Still. It’s worth checking out if you’re going to visit MoPop in the next few months or if you’re needing an activity to entertain out of town visitors.

AND, for local gay teens, there’s also a week long drag summer camp coming up. More info below!