Nancy Mace questioned the director of the National Museum of American History, and the exchange is getting a lot of attention.

On July 21, 2026, Representative Nancy Mace questioned the director of the National Museum of American History during a House Oversight hearing examining exhibits at Smithsonian museums. One of the hearing’s most talked about moments came when Mace repeatedly asked the director, “What is a woman?” The exchange quickly became symbolic of a much larger debate about what children are being exposed to in taxpayer-funded institutions. During the hearing, lawmakers pointed to exhibits featuring drag performer RuPaul, the former “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” exhibit discussing gender identity, and other displays they argued are not appropriate for children. They questioned whether museums that welcome millions of families and school groups each year should be introducing young visitors to these topics. Many parents believe they are seeing conversations about gender identity and sexuality introduced to children in schools, libraries, museums, entertainment, and other public spaces with increasing frequency. Those parents argue these are deeply personal subjects that should be introduced by families, at the time and in the way parents believe is appropriate, not by government-funded institutions. The hearing underscored a growing debate over parental rights, the role of public institutions, and who should decide when children are introduced to sensitive topics. Regardless of where you stand, many parents believe they have both the right and the responsibility to speak up when they disagree with the direction of publicly funded organizations. Follow for all things homeschooling! Mention SUBSCRIBE for my free Beginner’s Guide to Homeschooling. #homeschooling #parentalrights #education