Cabinet of stories
Now on show: Change the world, not us
Our curators regularly highlight hidden gems from the collections and write blog posts about them on our website. In the Cabinet of Stories, one of the most beautiful rooms in the Allard Pierson, a new blog takes centre stage every few months: you can then view the object the curator is writing about for yourself. In a video produced especially for this small exhibition, the curator engages in conversation with an expert from the field. What can an object from the past tell us today?
Change the world, not us.
Allard Pierson celebrates World Pride! Pride is not only a festive occasion, but also a protest drawing attention to the rights of LGBTIQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer) people worldwide. In many countries, it is still a crime to belong to the LGBTIQ+ community. You can be punished simply for who you are, or for who you love. In the Netherlands, the rights of LGBTIQ+ people are under pressure. Non-binary people in particular face much discrimination and violence.
Bringing forgotten stories of LGBTIQ+ people to light helps normalize gender and sexual diversity. Your gender identity is how you feel about yourself – for example, as a man, a woman, non-binary or something else. This does not always match the sex assigned at birth.
The objects here come from Allard Pierson collections (archaeology, book history, theatre) and each tells a story of gender diversity beyond the traditional man/woman perspective. These stories show that gender diversity has always existed. They remind us that it is not people who must change to be accepted, but the world around them: change the world, not us.
