Missouri State Parks agreed to a small LGBTQ exhibition in the state capitol in Jefferson City but removed it after only four days after an assistant to a GOP Senator kicked up a storm. The exhibit was supposed to stay up until December 26.
The exhibition looked back at the LGBTQ rights movement in Kansas City. You can check out the exhibit online at Making History: Kansas City and the rise of gay rights.
The exhibition consisted mainly of banners and old photographs, detailing the persecution LGBTQ people faced in the past, and local advocacy groups such as the Phoenix Society, formed in the late 1960s.
All quite informative and interesting, you would think… but not in the eyes of some people.
On Wednesday, a legislator assistant to GOP Sen. Mitch Boggs made his views clear on his Facebook. Uriah Stark, posted images of the exhibition and said: “So is there any good reason that our taxpayer funded museum is pushing the LGBT agenda in our state capitol? These are literally in-your-face banners that you can’t walk through the museum without seeing… and they’re scheduled to be there through December.”
He went on to clarify “the Missouri State Museum, which is under the Department of Natural Resources, is responsible for allowing this.”
The traveling exhibit is actually an award-winning student project created in a public history class at University of Missouri-Kansas City [UMKC]. A UMKC spokesperson told Queerty, “It has been touring the state since 2017. It was recently invited to be a temporary exhibit in the Missouri State Museum on the first floor of the state capitol.”
Related: This anti-LGBTQ bill filed by Kansas Republicans reads like a bonkers hate manifesto
Yesterday, Stark, who uses the #MAGA hashtag on Twitter and seems fond of re-tweeting Marjorie Taylor Greene, posted an update, stating: “Thanks to the efforts of several of our great elected officials, the exhibit has been removed from the Missouri State Museum! To God be the glory!
“Shoutout to Rep. Ann Kelley and Rep. Brian Seitz for taking the bull by the horns! I also spoke with multiple other elected officials who were ready and willing to take action, thank you all for standing for traditional family values!”
State Senator Greg Razer (D) is Missouri’s only openly gay Senator. He was unimpressed by the decision, issuing a statement.
My statement on @mostateparks decision to put LGBT history exhibit back in the closet. #moleg pic.twitter.com/dxLstgyFFr
— State Senator Greg Razer (@SenGregRazer) September 2, 2021
“I am extremely disappointed and angry that Missouri State Parks would bend to pressure from those who want to see people like me stripped of our rights and our dignity as American citizens.
“There is nothing controversial about an exhibit that explains how members of the LGBT community fought to end persecution and demand rights as citizens. This is nothing but ‘cancel culture’ coming from those who want the LGBT community to simply disappear in the shadows again.
“Missouri State Parks owe the LGBT community answers as to why they put this exhibit back in the closet.”
That answer came yesterday. Governor Mike Parson’s spokeswoman Kelli Jones said Department for Natural Resources (DNR) had not followed a “statutorily mandated process” in putting up the exhibit.
“The Department of Natural Resources manages the Museum and state statute requires the Department to coordinate activities relating to the Museum with the Board of Public Buildings.”
In other words, it was supposed to seek approval from the Board of Public Buildings.
However, although this technically may be the case, it never actually happens. The Kansas City Star checked minutes for the Board’s meetings going back to 2015. Not once have the board discussed a state museum exhibit.
Razer called this a “convenient excuse”. He told the Kansas City Star he yesterday called DNR director Dru Buntin.
“My guess is, and obviously he would not give me a straight answer on this, is they never go to the board to get permission to put up a temporary exhibit,” Razer said. “There’s always rotating temporary exhibits.”
Related: What gay guys get up to on Fire Island captured in new photo exhibition
Chrisk
Ha. So they caved to the Nazi and then gave a total and complete Bullshit excuse.
I guess when you don’t have to worry about tourism you can be as shitty as you want.
Cam
Republicans are only about hate, bigotry, and lining their own pockets. That’s all they have.
They don’t even have a party platform anymore. They can’t even articulate what their party stands for besides hate and Covid denial.
Mack
The Republicans DO have a platform and have several agendas on that platform. 1) Elect the biggest liar you can find. 2) Elect the biggest racist and bigot you can find. 3) Strip all minorities of any rights that the right wing Supreme Court will accept. 4) Do you best to destroy the economy and blame it on the Democrats.
Heywood Jablowme
“Everything’s up to date in Kansas City… They’ve gone about as fur as they can go.”
In Jeff City, however, it’s still 1950!
Reggi
If Repulsigans get control of move governments, especially the federal government, how will this be any different from being under control of the Taliban?
chris thau
It won’t be any different. Be afraid, be very, very afraid.
Gnarfield
Girl, calm down. It’s completely different.
chris thau
Missouri is a hell hole. I lived there for 63 yrs then when I retired, fled the state. I only go back for funerals. The evangelicals control the state and bigotry is rampant. I wouldn’t be surprised if they started book burnings. Tennessee Williams was from Missouri and hated it for good reason.
macattack
This person forgot about FREE SPEECH! Free speech means to the Republicans.: You can only speak about what I say”
linedrive
Maybe they should formally submit a request to have the exhibit installed. Then there will have to be a reason given to deny it. At least the DNR will be on record even if that reason is bigotry. Then you have something to fight.
PerhapsYesNoMaybe
It’s a taxpayer funded museum. So apparently GOP Sen. Mitch Boggs and his staff are saying LGBT people should be exempt from paying taxes in MIssouri because LGBT people shouldn’t be served by taxpayer-funded institutions, right? Or are the Senator and his staff just massively corrupt hypocrites?
Dick Gozinia
Go to FB and view the subject post on Uriah Stark’s page. There are >300 comments and most of them are in opposition to his views on this subject.
hansniemeijer
I am getting soooooo tired of haters
Seth
Cowardice and bigotry go hand in hand.
This is just a conservative day that ends in y.
lambchopp59
Take note, Log Cabin hypocrites.
Efforts to deny, isolate and bully LGBTQ haunt my memories of attempting to come to grips with my own reality in rural complete censorship zone of any alternative to “Dick and Jane” compliance, just as equally racist. For the party that has so many shouting it’s callings of “limited gubmint” and “freedumb”, the first damn acts involve whose rights they restrict, who they wall off and deny compassion and asylum, who they dominate and make decisions for, who they leave in impoverished quagmires, what information they censor and lately, how they commit mass murder/suicide with misinformation.
Enough already, Karen.
Let’s Make Orwell Fiction Again with our votes.