Visibility: Portraits of Love

Dear LREI Community,

There are many ways in which members of our community are involved in social justice efforts. For the students these actions are often built into the curriculum and challenge the children to employ their skills and content knowledge in understanding the world and having an impact upon it. You can find examples of these programs in the classrooms of the youngest students and in each grade right up to the seniors. Just in the last two weeks, 8th graders have shared the results of their social justice field work with younger middle schoolers in the annual Social Justice Teach-In, and 11th graders have completed their junior trips, engaging with issues of equity and justice that communities throughout the country face. This is not a new focus for our progressive program. Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School has a history of involvement in social justice movements. Whether it was welcoming adults who had been blacklisted from their chosen profession, making space for children from segregated schools, or marching in the NYC Pride parade, LREI has long participated in efforts to bring equal rights to all—one voice joining with others to advocate for large-scale change. Quite frankly, the school itself was founded as a social justice effort.

Visibility: Portraits of Love, a photo exhibit organized by the Parents Association’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, is conceived in the same vein. Families, alumni, and faculty members have donated photos and captions, and this year’s exhibit will be as uplifting as those in the past.

We host this exhibit as part of our mission to create an environment where all community members feel celebrated, protected, and seen, where children and adults are able to show up in the fullness of their humanity. For those of us who have never had to hide whom we love it is hard to imagine risking rejection and injury for sharing this particular joy with family and friends.

As we approach this year’s exhibit, I want to share answers to questions that I have been asked in years past by members of the LREI community.

Is the photo exhibit still necessary given recent changes in state and federal laws? While this is a question we ask ourselves, and there has been positive change on this front, rights continue to be questioned. This year alone, we have seen hundreds of bills at the state and local level targeting the rights and freedoms of members of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, as a community dedicated to young people, we need to remain in the struggle for the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth who continue to be victims of bias, bullying, and violence, and who often find intolerance within their own families. There are still minds to change, families to educate, and laws to defend. For more information about safe schools and anti-bullying efforts visit www.GLSEN.org.

Why doesn’t the photo exhibit invite pictures from all families at LREI? This would make for a warm and wonderful exhibit and does so in other schools. However, such an exhibit would suggest that all families, all relationships, all experiences are equal. While I believe it is true that all should be treated equally, that love and caring are powerful and wonderful no matter who is sharing them, it is essential to remember that while all love may be equal, not all love is treated equally, that legal equality has proven to be fragile, and that some people have to hide their true selves or run the risk of emotional or physical assault. We choose to highlight those who do not always find themselves welcome.

Is this exhibit appropriate for our youngest students? It is. As you view the photos in the exhibit a number of themes will emerge for you – dignity, friendship, equality, and courage, among others. But most of all, the theme or feeling or emotion that you will take away from viewing these beautiful photographs is love—love for family and friends and parents and children—and I can think of no reason that, of all things, we should ever question the appropriateness of love, the power of love, the importance of love and the right to love, and whether our Fours are ready for this conversation.

Love, but sex as well, no? No. When younger students see these photos they see friends and loved ones. They see smiles and laughter. Might they ask a question about how two mommies or two daddies can have a baby? Sure. There are many answers to this question that do not stretch what is appropriate or comfortable to discuss with younger children. If we are going to change the way in which people are treated, if we are going to put an end to discrimination, then we have to begin with our youngest citizens and not wait until the adults in the world have been able to impart their bigotry.

Visibility will be on display in both buildings,

272 Sixth Avenue and 40 Charlton Street,

from May 2nd – May 13th.

Please join us for the opening reception of