ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – An exclusive traveling exhibit called, “Queer Justice”, is now on display inside the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta. The exhibit was first featured in New York in November.
Lambda Legal, the American LGBTQ+ Museum, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights worked together for the event which started on Friday, January 6th, and will run through February 16th.
“Queer Justice is an exhibit to really chronicle and celebrate Lambda Legal’s 50th Anniversary,” said Michael Shutt, Regional Director of Lambda Legal’s Southern Regional Office, “So, in 1973, Lambda Legal became an organization that started fighting for LGBTQ rights and the rights for people living with HIV. So, we’re the oldest and the largest civil rights legal organization fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ folks and everyone living with HIV.
The panels show historic moments and the impact the group has made throughout the United States over the last 50 years.
“We fought for marriage rights in the state of Georgia and sued over that,” Shutt said.
It also features efforts in reducing housing discrimination and creating equitable workplaces.
Vandy Beth Glenn is one person highlighted in the exhibit. Glenn said she was fired from her job in 2007.
“Lambda Legal helped me out at a very low place in my life. I had been fired from my job at the state capitol for being transgender, and I knew that was wrong and I didn’t have the resources myself to do anything about it so I went to Lambda Legal and talked with them and they agreed to take my case,” Glenn said.
Glenn v. Brumby(ANF)
Lambda Legal helped her win the case in 2011.
“We ended up setting a federal precedent and two courts ruled in our favor, and my case has been cited as a precedence many times since then,” Glenn said.
Shutt said the fight must continue in other areas, as well.
“There are so many things that have come out of Georgia and it’s why this exhibit is really important here,” Shutt said. “For us, the exhibit is important to understand this history, so that they can reground themselves in the present,” he said. “So, we need everyone to understand our history, so we can understand what’s happening in the present so that we can strategically move into the future and continue to fight for our rights,” Shutt added.
Glenn hopes everyone comes to the exhibit in hopes that it will spark further change.
“Other battles that we fought like the battle for LGBTQ and transgender rights it’s in our recent past but it’s also ongoing, and knowing about the past struggles that people have endured and have triumphed over is good in teaching us all that we can do something,” Glenn said.
Leaders said in addition to the traveling exhibit in Atlanta, there will be a symposium at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on Saturday, where they will discuss past and present issues. The event will begin at 9:30 in the morning.
To learn more about Lambda Legal, click here. To learn more about the event at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, click here.
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