A bill has passed the California State Senate which will ask teachers to include information about gays and lesbians in social science curriculums.  Historical information about the civil rights of gays and their protest movements would be included when the second half of the 20th century is studied. 

“It is very basic to me that people dislike and fear that with which we are less familiar,” said Mark Leno, who sponsored the bill and is one of the first openly gay men elected to theCalifornia state senate. 

According to the New York Times, he went on to say that studying gay history will help students view their gay classmates as regular members of society, rather than misfits.   For the full article see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/16/us/16schools.html?scp=1&sq=California%20may%20require&st=cse