This exhibition explores the history of the term ‘homosexual.’ Museums are afraid to show it

A new art exhibition in Chicago uses more than 300 works of art to trace the historical origins of the word “homosexual,” mapping how it’s shaped our modern perception of queer identity. According to its lead curator, museums around the world have refused to show the exhibition—even when it’s offered to them for free.

The exhibition, titled The First Homosexuals: The Birth of a New Identity, 1869-1939, is currently on view at the Wrightwood 659 museum in Chicago through July 26. It’s...