The concept of Homoscopes emerged in 2018 while Caitlin McCarthy and I were both steeped in historical research for Stonewall 50 (the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots). Following a queer history meet-up session at The Center Archive, we bonded over dimly-lit drinks as we continued a conversation surrounding queer and alternative forms of spirituality. We both brought our own “Homoscopes” perspectives to the table (figuratively and literally): Caitlin was excited about their latest research find, Lilli Vincenz’s “Homoscope” column in GAY, and I was becoming more and more curious about the connections between alternative forms of spirituality, radical activism, and the historiography of the Gay and Women’s Liberation Movements. Our research experiences and personal explorations of belief systems led us to begin this work, and our curiosities and connections sustained it during the twists and turns of the COVID pandemic.
The stars aligned on that particular evening with the spark for Homoscopes: Queer Spirituality and Symbolism in 1970s Lesbian Print. We hope that Homoscopes compels visitors to further explore diverse forms of activism and belief systems, but also that it begins a continued, inclusive discussion, representative of the entirety of the LGBTQ+ community and diverse forms of spirituality—especially within a non-secular/alternative context. As public historians understand: the research represented in this digital exhibition is the metaphorical tip of the iceberg. An incredible cosmology of radical activity and queer spirituality awaits to be explored.
—Rachel Pitkin
Thanks and Acknowledgements
A constellation of generous individuals and projects have made it possible for Homoscopes to grow from theory to reality. Their help was especially critical in light of the archival closures forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, we have relied solely on digitized sources for the completion of the project.
Special thanks to the following individuals and projects for their labor and generosity:
Ben Power Alwin at The Sexual Minorities Archive: https://sexualminoritiesarchives.wordpress.com/
Authors League Fund: https://authorsleaguefund.org/
Dan DiLandro at the Madeline Davis LGBT Archives of Western New York (housed within The E.H. Butler Library at SUNY Buffalo State): https://library.buffalostate.edu/archives/LGBTQ
JD Doyle of The JD Doyle Archives: http://www.jddoylearchives.org/
Brooke Palmieri of Camp Books: https://www.campbooks.biz/
Reveal Digital’s Independent Voices Project: http://revealdigital.com/
The Brooklyn Latin School TAs and History for Action Leadership: Anita Kukeli, Chloe Dergarabedian, Fatima Ahmad.
Special thanks to the many movement members who shared their memories, artistry, and knowledge:
Ben Power Alwin, Pokey Anderson, Susan Simensky Bietila, Fahamisha Brown, Charlotte Bunch, Jen Clausen, Liza Cowan, Cerridwen Fallingstar, Pastor Brenda L. Haywood, Penny House, Karla Jay, Kaymarion Raymond, Susan Rennie, Rima Shore, and Rich Wandel.
About the Curator
Rachel Pitkin (she/her/hers) is a graduate student in Museum Studies and Public History. She is a volunteer with The LGBT Community Center National History Archive, and teaches History in New York City. She holds an MA and BA in History, and her current research interests include historical memory, public history, and women and gender in the twentieth century United States. She can be reached at RPitkin@gmail.com or on Twitter @RaePitkin.
About the Organizer
Caitlin McCarthy (they/them/theirs) is Archives Manager at The LGBT Community Center in New York. Before joining The Center in November 2017 as its first staff archivist, they worked in Museum Archives at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and earned a Master of Library Science degree at CUNY, Queens College.
The LGBT Community Center National History Archive is a community-based archive that collects, preserves and makes available to the public the documentation of LGBTQ lives and organizations centered in and around New York. Through our collections, we enable the stories and experiences of New York’s LGBTQ people to be told with historical depth and understanding.
