Federal Attacks Give Urgency To Hawaiʻi Gay History Effort

At a time when transgender identity is under assault in Washington, D.C., Hawaiʻi’s LGBTQ+ history is being shared and celebrated. With help from a grant from the Mellon Foundation, a new group that calls itself Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi, in collaboration with Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, is elevating gay heritage in the public sphere. Its projects include a set of new historic designation markers popping up around the city, a popular hula show in Waikīkī that highlights Hawaiʻi’s long transgender heritage and a website that brings to light the poignant life stories of path-breaking people and places once kept in the shadows.