The Making of “The First Homosexuals,” with curator Jonathan D. Katz

Join us for a virtual conversation with Jonathan D. Katz, distinguished scholar and curator of the exhibition The First Homosexuals: Global Depictions of a New Identity, 1869-1930. The term “homosexual,” first coined in Europe in 1869, reduced the complexity of sexuality to the simple binary of homosexual and not. The exhibition explores the social and cultural parameters of same-sex desire through over 100 works created within 50 years of the term’s origin. Who were the “first homosexuals”? How did they define themselves and how were they understood within the dominant culture? In this virtual lecture, Katz explores these questions, elaborating on his impetus for the exhibition and highlighting key works.