# Plain Language Summary: LGBTQI+ and Women's History Education Act of 2023

This bill gives the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History $2 million per year for five years to create and share educational materials about LGBTQI+ history and women's history with schools across the country. The money would fund the development of classroom resources, teacher training programs, online educational content, and traveling exhibitions that highlight the contributions and experiences of LGBTQI+ people and women throughout American history, with special attention to how these groups have often been left out of or misrepresented in textbooks.

The bill responds to research showing significant gaps in how American schools teach these histories. According to the findings in the bill, only 13 percent of named historical figures in U.S. textbooks are women, and when women are mentioned, they're often described only in domestic roles rather than their professional accomplishments or activism. Similarly, very few schools teach positive representations of LGBTQI+ history—only about 16 percent of students nationally report learning anything positive about LGBTQI+ people in their classes. The bill also notes that several states have passed laws restricting how schools can teach about LGBTQI+ topics and racial equity, which the sponsors see as problematic censorship.

The funded programs would create teaching materials, professional development workshops for teachers, online resources for students and families, and fellowships to train educators in this subject matter. Schools could voluntarily use these resources in their classrooms. The bill emphasizes an "intersectional" approach, meaning it would highlight how people experiencing multiple forms of discrimination—like Black transgender women or Latina girls with disabilities—have contributed to American history. The Smithsonian would also need to report annually to Congress about how the money was spent and what educational activities were created.

LGBTQI+ and Women’s History Education Act of 2023

Balint, Becca

LGBTQI+ and Women's History Education Act of 2023 This bill directs the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution (NMAH) to carry out activities to support LGBTQI+ (sexual and gender minority populations) history and women's history education programs. Specifically, the NMAH must, among other things, carry out the following activities: <ul> <li>the development and national dissemination of accurate, relevant, and accessible national resources for classrooms to administer LGBTQI+ and women's history education in an inclusive and intersectional approach;</li> <li> the development, national dissemination, and implementation of principles of sound pedagogy for administering LGBTQI+ and women's history education;</li> <li>the development, operation, and expansion of a teacher fellowship program to cultivate and support leaders in LGBTQI+ and women's history education; and</li> <li>engagement with state and local education leaders to encourage the adoption of resources supported under this bill into curricula across diverse disciplines.</li> </ul> In addition to the activities described in this bill, the museum must develop and maintain on its website content designated for educators, students, and families to improve their awareness and understanding of LGBTQI+ and women's history education.