American Women’s History Museum planned by the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington will not be realized for the time being. Democrats in the House of Representatives withdrew their support for the project, which was passed in a bipartisan manner in 2020, this week. A vote on the location failed with 204 to 216 votes – some Republicans also voted against it.
The background to the rift is the Republicans’ attempt to limit the museum’s mission to “biological women” and exclude transgender women. They wanted to enshrine this in a supplement to the vote. The Democrats rejected this and withdrew their approval.
In addition, directives on historiography issued by President Trump require the Smithsonian Institution and other museums to present American history in a more “patriotic” and uplifting manner. Critics fear that the museum for women’s history could neglect nuanced perspectives – such as the role of white women as slaveholders or their active obstruction of voting rights for men – in favor of purely positive narratives.
The museum still has a budget, employees, and a virtual program, but no physical building. First Lady Trump donated her inauguration ball gown to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Source: www.faz.net
