Opinion: When museums go silent, erasure speaks louder
LGBTQ+ narratives are being stripped from public memory just as attacks on queer and trans people surge. Why some museums refuse to let history repeat itself.
December 08 2025 6:00 AM
CONTACTAbout UsCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Equal Entertainment LLC.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Leah Rauch
Leah Rauch (she/her) is the Director of Education at Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, whose mission is to preserve the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference. She previously worked as an adjunct professor at the Council on International Educational Exchange in Berlin and as an educator at Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum. In 2024, Rauch was appointed to serve on the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission. A fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ education, her research interests include LGBTQ+ history, resistance in Nazi Germany, and the intersectionality of those persecuted under National Socialism. She has presented at international academic conferences in France, Germany, and the U.S., and has published articles in academic journals, including The Journal for Holocaust Research. She recently co-authored a chapter in Teaching Holocaust Geographies in Middle and Secondary Schools.
