Smithsonian adds LGBT history to museum collection

I just read an article on the WTOP's website.  WTOP is a radio station in the Washington DC area.  The article is titled "Smithsonian adds LGBT history to museum collection",  it sounded interesting  so I read it to see what the Smithsonian was adding.  "Hundreds of photographs, papers and historical objects documenting the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are being added" the article starts out.  Then it goes on to say that items from the popular TV show "Will and Grace" will be included in the items added to the collection.  "Will and Grace" is a fictional show about a gay man, portrayed by a straight man, his best friend Grace and another friend Jack, who is also gay on the show and has come out as a gay man in "real life".  I think it's great that TV shows are able to portray gays and that people accept the show and laugh and enjoy the show, but it's just a show.  Two of the items being donated are a sign from Grace Adler Interior Design and Will Truman's framed college diploma - why? They aren't real people.  Other items being added include passports of the first openly gay U.S. ambassador and his husband as well as sports memorabilia from gay and lesbian athletes.
The show has probably changed some people's views on gays and lesbians, but I don't understand why props from a "gay" show are included in the Smithsonian collection.  I guess it's popular culture, which was one of the points in our readings last week.  Popular culture dictates what is considered history.  The show, although very funny was also very stereotypical.  Jack was flamboyant and a bit aloof which is how many gays are perceived.  If articles from "Will and Grace" will be in the Smithsonian as part of the gay and lesbian collection will there be other actors' items there?  Robert Reed, who played Mike Brady on "The Brady Bunch" was gay, will there be an area of the collection for actors who couldn't be themselves, who couldn't come out because they wouldn't have been accepted by the public although fellow actors knew of their sexuality? 
I guess I was just taken aback that "Will and Grace" appears to be the big news at the gay and lesbian collection when so many others have fought for so many years for gay rights and equality.  "Will and Grace" was ground breaking and did open people eyes, but I hope there is also focus on the hundreds and hundreds of normal people who were and are part of the gay movement.
http://www.wtop.com/41/3684560/Smithsonian-adds-LGBT-history-to-museum-collection