Washington Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed a law mandating that public schools in the state teach LGBTQ history. The law, known as Senate Bill 5462, requires schools to include LGBTQ history in their curriculum by the 2025-26 school year. The goal of the law is to create a more inclusive and diverse educational experience for students of all races and identities. Research has shown that LGBTQ-inclusive curricula can help reduce rates of bullying and make students feel safer in school.

This new law makes Washington the seventh state to require public schools to incorporate LGBTQ-inclusive curricula. The six other states with similar laws are California, New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, and Illinois. These states, all of which have voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections, are leading the way in promoting LGBTQ-inclusive education. However, conservative lawmakers in other states, mostly led by Republicans, have introduced measures to restrict the teaching of LGBTQ topics in public schools.

Anti-LGBTQ measures introduced by conservative lawmakers include laws dubbed as “Don’t Say Gay,” bans on books with queer storylines or characters, and disbandments of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public universities. Seven states currently have laws restricting the instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity in some public schools. The enactment of laws mandating LGBTQ history education in public schools in states like Washington can be seen as a reaction to these anti-LGBTQ measures in red states.

Gabriele Magni, an assistant professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University, believes that the push for LGBTQ-inclusive education in some states is a response to the limitations placed on LGBTQ topics in other states. He likens this dynamic to the conversation around abortion rights, where some states are enacting restrictive laws while others are expanding protections. LGBTQ advocates in Washington view the new law as necessary to counter the belief from conservatives that queer identities are inappropriate for children. They argue that acknowledging LGBTQ individuals in history, such as Thoreau, Whitman, and Turing, is important for a comprehensive and accurate education.

The enactment of laws mandating the teaching of LGBTQ history in public schools reflects a broader cultural and political divide in the United States. While some states are making efforts to promote inclusivity and diversity in education, others are pushing back against LGBTQ-inclusive curricula. These developments highlight the ongoing debates and challenges around LGBTQ rights and representation in the education system. Efforts to ensure that LGBTQ history is taught in schools are part of a larger movement towards more comprehensive and accurate education that reflects the diversity of American society.

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