Members of Congress spar over radicalism at US History Museum: 'Is Mickey Mouse racist?'
1. Nancy Mace accuses US History Museum of pushing 'indoctrination'
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., pressed Hartig with a series of yes-or-no questions, growing visibly frustrated when the museum director offered longer answers. Hartig answered "Absolutely" when Mace asked whether "educating children about American history is a core duty of the museum."
The exchange grew sharper when Mace asked whether "images of sexual fetishes" and "provocative sexual imagery" were appropriate for children. Hartig responded that the museum "strives to represent all Americans." Mace cut her off, insisting that she strives to "represent queer pedophiles, indoctrination, grooming of kids at an American history museum, and it sounds like you're proud of it."
"You won't answer the questions, probably because you’re ashamed,” added Mace, who displayed images from the museum behind her, including one she described as depicting BDSM imagery and others showing performers in what she identified as drag.
Much of the exchange centered on the museum's "Girlhood (It's Complicated)" exhibit. Mace cited a diary entry, which a White House report on the museum attributed to a 6-year-old, describing how "everybody was talking about getting boobs and their period; I pray to God every night for my penis to grow." Hartig disputed that characterization, telling Mace the diary entry actually belonged to a 13-year-old and that the exhibit, which ran from 2020 to 2023, carried a content warning making clear it "was not designed for children."
Mace added, "This kind of thing, when you are dressing men up as women, drag queens, you’re putting this kind of crap in front of kids, sexualizes them and makes them more vulnerable to people that want to rape them or abuse them."
Hartig also declined to answer when Mace asked her to define the word "woman" or say whether men can become women. Mace went on to cite other material from the exhibit's glossary, including a passage stating that "other countries recognize three or more genders" and that "sometimes, gender isn't revealed at birth." She responded sarcastically: "So when is gender revealed? When was your gender revealed to you?"
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
