The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has directed recipients of grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to immediately cease all programs, personnel, and activities related to “gender ideology,” as per an email obtained by ABC News. The directive, issued to those receiving CDC funds, mandates the termination of any programs, contracts, or personnel promoting or supporting gender ideology, regardless of location or the citizenship of employees or contractors.
The HHS email emphasized that all activities, including renamed or remnants of gender ideology programs funded by the U.S. government, must be completely and permanently stopped. This order follows an executive order from former President Donald Trump, titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government.” The executive order mandates that the federal government recognize only two sexes, male and female, and prohibits the promotion of gender ideology within government-supported programs.
The HHS’s latest directive affects a wide range of entities, including local health departments and clinics across the United States, many of which receive CDC funding. The CDC allocated nearly $4.5 billion last year to support health departments in all 50 states, making the impact of this directive widespread.
In addition to this directive, HHS sent a similar memo to foreign assistance program recipients, specifically targeting programs related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This memo also instructed recipients to terminate any DEI programs or activities funded by U.S. grants, irrespective of their location or the nationality of their employees.
Furthermore, ABC News reported that the HHS has instructed sub-agencies like the CDC to remove “all outward-facing media” that promotes gender ideology, including websites and social media accounts. As of Friday evening, several government webpages on topics such as HIV, LGBTQ+ issues, and public health had been taken down in compliance with these orders.
