Discover the captivating exhibition «Erotic Resistance: Performance, Art, and Activism in San Francisco Strip Clubs (1960s-1990s)» at the GLBT Historical Society Museum.
The GLBT Historical Society Museum Presents «Erotic Resistance: Performance, Art, and Activism in San Francisco Strip Clubs (1960s-1990s)»
On Friday, June 7, the GLBT Historical Society Museum will unveil a new exhibition that explores the bohemian past of San Francisco and its significant role in the development of American adult entertainment. Titled «Erotic Resistance: Performance, Art, and Activism in San Francisco Strip Clubs (1960s-1990s)», this exhibition was curated by Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa and features original research conducted in the society’s archives. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore this captivating exhibition until fall 2024.
A Journey Through San Francisco’s Bohemian Past
«Erotic Resistance» is named after Otálvaro-Hormillosa’s dissertation, which has been published as a book titled «Erotic Resistance: The Struggle for the Soul of San Francisco» by the University of California Press in 2024. The exhibition showcases objects from the society’s archives that tell the story of the cross-pollination between LGBTQ venues, strip clubs, and burlesque theatres by sex worker and LGBTQ communities during the latter part of the twentieth century.
Throughout her eight years of research, curator Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa encountered these objects in the society’s archives, which inspired her thinking and writing for the book. Now, she is thrilled to see these objects displayed on the walls of the museum. Otálvaro-Hormillosa expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to share these images and archival objects with a broader audience, including both local community members and visitors from afar.
Unveiling Hidden Histories
«Erotic Resistance» shines a spotlight on the contributions of queer women, trans women, and women of colour who played instrumental roles in San Francisco’s labor history, as well as its LGBTQ and sex workers’ rights movements. This exhibition aims to bring to light the often-hidden history of intersectional communities and the women who were pivotal in shaping this narrative.
Visitors can expect to see artworks, performance documents, and other ephemera related to women who were interviewed for this research project or whose archives are still being co-constructed by individuals and collecting institutions. This collection of materials provides a unique glimpse into the lives and experiences of these remarkable women.
Engaging Events and Programming
To celebrate the opening of the exhibition, an opening reception will be held on Friday, June 7, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the GLBT Historical Society Museum. Tickets for the reception are priced at $5-10, with free admission for GLBT Historical Society members. Members will also have the exclusive opportunity to join a special curator tour at 5 pm, just before the opening reception.
In addition to the opening reception, the society will host companion programming on Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. This event will include a screening of the documentary «Straight for the Money: Interviews with Queer Sex Workers». Curator and author Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa will introduce the film and facilitate a discussion with the audience afterward.
For more information about the exhibition, as well as tickets to the opening reception and film screening, please visit the official website at www.glbthistory.org/erotic-resistance. Copies of «Erotic Resistance: The Struggle for the Soul of San Francisco» will also be available for purchase in the society’s gift shop.
About the GLBT Historical Society
The GLBT Historical Society is a public history centre and archives dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and making accessible materials and knowledge that support and promote understanding of LGBTQ history, culture, and arts in all their diversity. Established in 1985, the society is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of queer public history and boasts one of the world’s largest archival collections of LGBTQ historical materials. The society operates two sites: the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco’s Castro neighbourhood and the Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Research Center in the mid-market district.
For more information about the GLBT Historical Society and its offerings, please visit www.glbthistory.org.
Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa, Ph.D., the curator of “Erotic Resistance,” is an artist-scholar specialising in art and activism, queer of colour critique, erotic performance, and the intersections of mindfulness and creative practice. Holding a doctorate in theater and performance studies with a minor in art history from Stanford University, Otálvaro-Hormillosa currently leads the Lifeworks program for integrative learning at Stanford.
