Parents object to gay family art show at rec center
Traveling exhibit in Louisville called 'age-inappropriate'

By Molly Osberg, For the Camera

LOUISVILLE - "Love Makes a Family," a public exhibit of photography and text about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people and their families, prompted parents like Jan Fanger to voice concerns at Tuesday night's City Council meeting about what their families were seeing.

The traveling exhibit from Massachusetts is on display through April 29 during regular building hours in the Louisville Recreation Center, 900 W. Via Appia.

"The exhibit at the rec center is inappropriate for children to view," Fanger said, noting the photos are displayed at a child's eye-level. "It is on display at a place where the largest population is children. I'm tolerant of other lifestyles but I want the opportunity to explain these issues to my kids when I want to."

The series of family photographs and accompanying text explaining the family situations had been displayed at the Boulder Public Library. According to Karen Ripley, cultural program director at Boulder Public Library, public reaction to the show in Boulder was "enormously positive."

"I received a huge positive response to the exhibit," Ripley said. "Every time I walked by the display people were looking at it. In fact, we had quite a few teachers bring their classes to view the exhibit."

Despite Tuesday's controversial feedback on the exhibit, Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck Sisk said the public's concern would be a topic of future discussion for the council.

"We shouldn't become censors for art exhibits, but guidelines are needed to establish who approves the exhibits and where the exhibits are displayed," Sisk said.

"The parent reaction at the City Council meeting surprised me. We've gone nine years without a policy, and it is important to remember freedom of speech rights, but maybe this is something that needs to be addressed," he said.

The exhibit was brought to Boulder County by the local chapter of the national organization of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. The Community Foundation's Open Door Fund, the city of Boulder's Human Relations Commission and the Gill Foundation are funding the exhibit.

While a public poll is not needed to approve art exhibits in Louisville's public spaces, more consideration should be given when bringing new displays into the community, Sisk said.

"As a parent, I felt that the art was age-inappropriate," said Mike Hamerly, who attended Tuesday's meeting. "If anyone who applies can exhibit art, this could be very harmful to the community. I think it is in the best interest of the community to establish a policy on art exhibits."

Return to P.E.R.S.O.N. Project Home Page