Pride: The Ric Weiland Collection
Museum of History & Industry, Seattle - June 14 – Oct 5
Richard William Weiland (1953–2006) attended Seattle’s prestigious Lakeside School and was the third cog in the wheel forming Microsoft with his two classmates, Bill Gates and Paul Allen. While still in high school—exploring their shared passion for computers—Ric told his partners he was gay, which they instantly accepted. Joining them later in New Mexico to create Microsoft, he temporarily dropped out of Stanford University’s Department of Electrical Engineering but returned to graduate.
As seen in the exhibition of his memorabilia and biographical ephemera, Weiland made it clear he did not want to become a workaholic. This was also accepted by Gates and Allen, who promptly made him “employee no. 2” and first lead programmer. Coming out in Los Angeles, Weiland rejoined his entrepreneurial pals when the company moved to Bellevue, WA. After long days on the east side, he would rush to Seattle’s antic gay scene on Capitol Hill. His growing fortune enabled him to support numerous gay organizations in various ways.
Visitors will see his outlandish Halloween costume as Pegasus; the sequined outfit he wore to a gala in Venice, Italy, thrown by Allen; and even a pair of gold underpants purchased through the Ah Men mail-order catalog. A sports enthusiast and fitness maniac, Weiland retired at 35 and pursued social, environmental, political, human rights and LGBTQ+ causes, quietly supporting organizations and educational institutions with a generous hand. Seattle’s Pride Foundation alone received $65 million after his death at age 53. His legacy puts him in a league with the Rockefellers and Fords, but with a special emphasis on gay communities all over the world.
