By Ken Magri
“Visibility is resistance, and we will not be erased.”
That quote represents the sentiment of Chico’s LGBTQ+ community on the eve of a new art exhibition at the area’s Museum of Northern California Art (monca) that runs from now until October 19.
In coordination with Chico’s non-profit Stonewall Alliance Center, the “Art Against Erasure” exhibition addresses the discrimination placed upon the LGBTQ+ community through new laws, executive orders and local policy changes since President Trump and the Republican Party took control of the federal government.
The exhibition’s opening reception was on October 11. The event, which coincided with National Coming Out Day, included live music, performances, a no-host beer and wine bar and artisan vendors.
“The theme of the [monca] exhibit stems from the continuation of LGBTQ+ rights being attacked,” said Blue Martinez, a program coordinator at the Stonewall Alliance Center. “The theme serves as a reminder to the community about these policies that continue to push LGBTQ+ members out of existence, that they are unreasonable.”
The political changes include the removal of funding from youth suicide hotlines, redacting Queer and Trans information from federal websites and resources, reversal of recognition of authentic gender identity on legal documents, elimination of trans persons from historical and educational content and other forms of identity erasure.
“There have been a lot of incredible submissions by artists who are wildly creative and innovative with their piece to fit the theme,” said Martinez. “It is something personal to each artist’s own experience being a part of the LGBTQ+ community.”
One such painting, “I Am Still Alive” by Isabella Rain, shows an arrangement of interlocking silver letters floating over a wispy blue background. At a quick glance the letters look like an abstract design, something vaguely Eastern. But upon closer inspection they reveal a compelling message, ready to be embraced, that hides in plain sight.
Another striking artwork is “Transformers, Tops and T” by Jude Hand. This Pop Art triptych of rainbow-colored objects is arranged within three separate Andy Warhol-like grid patterns. What do transformer robots, breast-flattening bras and testosterone cypionate injections have in common? Each one deals with changing from one form into another.
Trump’s campaign causes fear in transgender community
Transgender people in particular feel singled out for erasure. Last October, the Trump campaign spent $29 million filling TV and radio airwaves with ads that were viewed by many as anti-trans.
After his inauguration, one of Trump’s first executive orders in January included new policies that the trans community sees as discriminatory against it and those who support it.
Trump’s order effectively accused the nation’s K-12 schools of indoctrinating children, stating that “young men and women are made to question whether they were born in the wrong body and whether to view their parents and their reality as enemies to be blamed.”
In another January executive order Trump declared “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
The Trump administration removed an Obama-era policy allowing federal employees to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Now they must use bathrooms matching their assigned-at-birth gender.
Following the president’s actions, almost 1,000 anti-trans bills have been introduced at the state legislature level, and 122 have passed.
Transgender and non-binary people like Sacramento Valley resident Christapheros are sick of it.
“As this administration turns real teeth on us: targeting our healthcare; issuing criminal penalties for using bathrooms; withholding federal funds from universities that teach the truth about gender & sex; it is disheartening to see leaders who put pronouns in their bio in 2020 do nothing to stand up for our basic human rights,” said Christapheros.
“We will remain visible to the people we care about and share community with, but our priority right now has to be safety,” Christapheros added.
In an effort to fight back the federal wave, California State Senator Scott Weiner’s Senate Bill 497, to strengthen and protect trans rights in the Golden State, just passed the legislature and is waiting for Governor Newsom’s signature.
“President Trump has made it clear he is willing to violate laws and norms to target transgender people, and that he will not stop until their existence has been erased from public life,” said Weiner after the bill passed. “California must do everything in our power to protect the transgender community, and I’m confident that the Governor will continue his longstanding leadership on trans issues.”
Coming Out For ART coordination
“Art Against Erasure” is also part of a larger “Coming Out For Art,” or COFA movement which seeks to inspire the LGBTQ+ community to tap into its collective artistic mindset and be more visible by networking and producing artworks that comment on current events.
“It is time to empower and celebrate and highlight the LGBTQ+ community’s creativity and visibility,” said Martrinez.
The Stonewall Alliance Center says this theme can bring artists together to create artworks that “share the sentiment that the LGBTQ+ community is strong and will continue to fight the injustices that the current political system has tried to erase.”
All ages are welcome at the monca opening reception on Saturday, Oct. 11. The Museum of Northern California Art is located at 900 Esplanade in Chico.
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