SerpApi.Org
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) asked Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig to explain a past LGBT exhibit with a "crotch harness" in a tense Wednesday hearing on Capitol Hill.
Miller chimed in with other GOP lawmakers criticizing the Smithsonian museums' administration by displaying images of sexually explicit exhibits, including "Illegal to be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall," which closed in 2021. Hartig defended herself against accusations of liberal bias at the museums in light of a July 4 White House report calling for reform over alleged anti-American messaging in the Smithsonian's exhibits and materials.
"Does it make sense to you that sexual material would be on display in the National Museum of American History in the first place?" Miller asked.
Hartig defended the material.
"We encourage parents and caregivers to engage with content and topics they feel appropriate for their children, and all children under 18 who come to the museum need to be accompanied by an adult," Hartig said as Miller accused her of not answering the question.
"You actually welcomed children to an exhibit with sexually explicit material, and so, along those lines, can you tell us what a crotch harness is?" Miller asked, pointing to an image. "We brought a picture. Tell the audience what a crotch harness is."
Hartig began addressing a prior question until Miller pressed her: "No, just tell us now. I'm moving on. What is a crotch harness? You chose to make a display of it."
President Donald Trump directed Vice President JD Vance and the White House's Domestic Policy in March to "remove improper ideology" from Smithsonian museums and suggest "actions necessary to fully effectuate such policies." Republican lawmakers say they are conducting needed oversight of the federally funded institutions by holding hearings on the exhibits.
Miller remained unsatisfied with Hartig's responses throughout the dialogue, pointing out other past LGBT material mentioned in the White House report, such as the diary of a young girl saying she asks God for a penis.
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"You chose to display the fetish attire of a very small subset of Americans with weird sexual proclivities, and you welcome children to these exhibits," Miller said about the harness. "Millions of American families and school children visit your taxpayer-funded museum every year, coming to learn about the nation's history. They deserve as straightforward explanation for why they are being exposed to this kind of garbage."
Hartig eventually answered, "In that small exhibit that closed in 2021, where that two-piece garment was presented ... all the people who came by that display case, no one complained."
