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LGBTQ+

We embrace LGBTQ+ culture and Warhol’s role as a gay icon.

From his 1950s Boy Book drawings that lovingly depicted the sensuous male form to his poignant self-portraits in drag in the 1980s, Warhol openly expressed his queer identity in life and art, even when homosexuality was criminalized and suppressed in the United States.

Learn more about Warhol's life

Image Gallery

A print of two, overlapping male torsos with their arms pressed together in front of them. A peach square is overlaid on each of the torsos, but some of the squares are hidden my red and lavender shapes.
A line drawing of a seated male nude. A small heart has been drawn on the head of his penis.
A black and white film poster for Andy Warhol's My Hustler. It features the tagline from 42nd Street to Fire Island and a photograph of a man with blonde hair reclining with a man with black hair.
A screen print of a drag queen with a large afro and prominent eyelashes set against a turquoise stripe that runs from the bottom left to the top right of the page and is flanked by smaller streaks of green and mustard yellow.
A line drawing of a penis which has been decorated with small hearts and flowers and has a ribbon tied around it in a bow.
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LGBTQ+ Youth Prom

The Warhol hosts an annual LGBTQ+ Youth Prom, the largest affirming prom in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Prom is often considered a rite of passage and creates memories that last a lifetime. The Warhol’s Youth Prom offers a safe, gender-inclusive space where LGBTQ+ young people can celebrate with dinner, dancing, and artmaking. Prom is open to young people ages 13–18, and it is planned by a youth committee.

Queer Performance

We are a destination for contemporary queer performance. The museum annually hosts TQ Live!, a locally-focused cabaret performance, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University School of Art.

The Warhol hosts a free multi-week School of Drag summer program, where youth ages 14–18 can learn about the history, culture, and practice of drag and gender-bending performance. The workshop series culminates in a showcase with youth and adult performers. To learn more about School of Drag and how to apply, visit our Teens page.

The Warhol has also recently presented artists such as Perfume Genius, Mark Eitzel, Narcissister and DarkMatter.

Dandy Andy: Warhol’s Queer History

On the last Saturday of each month, artist educators lead a museum tour that explores how Warhol’s sexuality influenced his work and shaped his relationship to the art world. The tours trace Warhol’s romantic relationships and queer identity against the backdrop of the historical gay rights movement in the United States.

Upcoming LGBTQ+ events

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LGBTQ+ Youth Prom 2026

Saturday, June 13, 2026, 6 – 10 p.m.

Attendees dancing in The Warhol entrance space that is all decorated, featuring artistic installations and draped greenery.

Photo by Camila Casas
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