Girona tells its LGTBIQA+ history in a new exhibition at the History Museum

Thursday, June 25, 2026

"Repression, Pleasure and Freedom: The LGTBIQA+ Struggle in Girona" opens this Sunday, June 28, at 12 noon. The exhibition traces a journey from medieval persecution to contemporary activism.

Coinciding with International LGTBIQA+ Liberation Day, the Girona History Museum joins the call for the freedom to be, express oneself and love through the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the historical trajectory of the LGTBIQA+ movement in the city. The exhibition, "Repression, Pleasure and Freedom: The LGTBIQA+ Struggle in Girona", will open on Sunday, June 28, at 12 noon, in the presence of Girona's mayor, Lluc Salellas i Vilar.

Curated by Lyhdyr Esquerdo Teixidó and Pau Gàlvez Lot, the exhibition explores the history of the LGTBIQA+ movement through objects and materials that bear witness to a long-standing and persistent struggle-one that has often been marginalized. It also highlights the public spaces that have played a key role in making the community visible, serving both as places of protest and spaces for building community.

The exhibition encourages reflection on the fact that many rights that may now seem basic are actually very recent achievements, and that continued efforts are needed to preserve them and eradicate LGTBI-phobia in all areas of society. It is organized into five sections: "Named Identities," presenting different sexual and gender identities in glossary form; "Persecuted Identities," focusing on the presence of LGTBIQA+ people in the Middle Ages in the Catalan Countries and their persecution by civil and religious authorities; "The First Generation of the Movement," showcasing the earliest acts of visibility and identity advocacy in Europe and the United States; "The LGTBIQA+ Movement in Catalonia," highlighting the consolidation of rights movements in Catalonia from the 1970s onward; and "The LGTBIQA+ Movement in Girona," focusing on the Girona region.

A range of free activities has been scheduled alongside the exhibition, including the opening event on June 28 at 12 noon featuring Catalan drag artist Joanne Madmoiselled, known for her meticulous aesthetic vision and stage presence combining elegance, humor and boundless creativity, as well as the monologue "Distorting Normalities" by La Mamu, a theatrical parody addressing imposed heteronormativity, stereotypes and deeply ingrained behaviors that contribute to discrimination against LGTBIQA+ people. Other activities include the roundtable discussion "The Situation of LGTBIQA+ People Today" on July 11 at 11 a.m.; the guided route "The Origins of LGTBIQA+ Activism in Girona" on July 29 and September 4; guided exhibition tours on August 7 and September 13 led by the curators; and the lecture "LGTBIQA+ Persecution Throughout History" by historian Leopold Estapé on September 4.

The exhibition highlights the close relationship between theThe exhibition highlights the close relationship between the history of feminist movements and the LGTBIQA+ struggle, showing how these sister movements strengthen and nourish one another and together form a fundamental cross-cutting force for society as a whole. The history of these struggles in Girona reflects a constant evolution that has developed alongside the city itself, enriching it with color, diversity and human richness.

The exhibition will be open free of charge from June 28 to September 13 in the temporary exhibition hall.