Joe My God

Dem Bill Would Create Natl LGBTQ History Museum

Via press release from Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan: As LGBTQI+ History Month comes to a close, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, introduced two bills to begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture. “As our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase … The post Dem Bill Would Create Natl LGBTQ History Museum appeared first on Joe.My.God..

Mark

Nov 1, 2023 - 20:00

0 5

Dem Bill Would Create Natl LGBTQ History Museum

Via press release from Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan:

As LGBTQI+ History Month comes to a close, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, introduced two bills to begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture.
“As our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase our history, we must preserve and protect our stories for future generations,” Rep. Pocan said.
“It is vital to remember our collective past – particularly when certain states, and even Members of Congress, seek to constrain and repeal existing rights by passing bills that harm LGBTQI+ youth and our community at large. Let’s tell these stories, the good and the bad, and honor the many contributions the LGBTQI+ community has made to this nation with a museum in Washington, D.C. I look forward to the passage of this legislation and to visiting this museum in the near future.”
Rep. Pocan introduced bills to establish a commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture and to establish it within the Smithsonian Institution. Both bills are required to be signed into law to create a new Smithsonian Museum.
The first bill creates an eight-member commission – consisting of individuals with various expertise in museum planning or LGBTQI+ research and culture – to look into the viability of establishing such a facility in the nation’s Capital.

NewsNation reports:

Pocan introduced both bills for the first time last year. They are co-sponsored by all eight openly LGBTQ co-chairs of the Equality Caucus: Democratic Reps. Mark Takano (Calif.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Robert Garcia (Calif.), Becca Balint (Vt.), Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), Angie Craig (Minn.) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.). Neither bill got a floor vote.
Pocan’s reintroduction of the bills comes at a pivotal moment for LGBTQ rights in the U.S. More than 500 bills targeting LGBTQ people were introduced in state legislatures across the country this year, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and at least 84 became law.
In Congress, House Republicans this year passed legislation to prevent transgender women and girls from participating on female sports teams. Bills that would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender minors are also being considered.