The US House rejected a bill to build the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The bill had been popular but failed after March language changes that directed the museum to include only “biological women,” banned “diversity,” and allowed President Donald Trump to override the museum’s location. Democrats said Republicans tanked the bill by inserting these edits, while Republicans said Democrats cared too much about trans people. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez criticized the changes as driven by “trans obsession” and “culture wars.” Democrats also sought restoration of the original language, warning that the provision could enable arbitrary enforcement and challenge inclusion of women or girls deemed insufficiently “feminine.”
"The changes included directing the museum to only include "biological women", banning "diversity" and giving president Donald Trump permission to override its location on the National Mall. Democrats blame Republicans for tanking the bill by sneaking in these edits, while Republicans point the finger at Democrats for caring too much about trans people."
"Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, the chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC), said Republicans had "ruined it with your trans obsession and your culture wars", according to Lisa Mascaro of the Associated Press. In a joint statement, the members of the DWC said: "A museum about women, fought for and supported by women, should not be controlled by one man. Republicans traded the representation of women for Trump's gain and ego. It's as embarrassing as it is disappointing.""
"Last month, more than 140 Democrats had sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, requesting that the original language of the bill be restored-to no avail. "While the author's intent is clearly to target transgender women and girls," they wrote, "the provision invites arbitrary enforcement and could be used to challenge the inclusion of any woman or girl a politician deems not 'feminine' enough.""
"It remains unclear why a bill whose main purpose is to locate the museum on the Mall would have a carveout for Trump if he chose to move it elsewhere. At a press briefing the day before the vote, Johnson said he saw this as "the party that purports to support women demanding that the museum include biological men"
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