Author’s Note: This article was written in early February and may not reflect recent developments in current affairs.
Protesters march in a rally urging NYU Langone to continue offering gender-affirming care for transgender youth after President Donald Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding. Heather Khalifa
DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs, designed to address historical disparities in education and workplace opportunities based on race, gender, and other identities, have recently come under attack from the new Trump administration. In an executive order, President Donald Trump announced that the federal government has decided to withhold funding from universities and medical centers that maintain DEI programs or conduct research on gender-affirming care, raising alarms among academics, healthcare professionals, civil rights advocates, and the minorities of America. He also signed an executive order recognizing only two sexes, promising to get rid of what he calls “transgender insanity” and defunding physicians providing gender-affirming care to those under nineteen.
These executive orders have stirred up fear amongst universities and medical centers across America. For the vast majority of institutions, especially those serving lower-income and minority students, federal funding is crucial to maintaining access to education. Without this funding, colleges fear they will be forced to cut essential programs, scholarships, and financial aid, disproportionately affecting the very students who rely on these resources to pursue a higher education.
Katharine Meyer, a fellow at the Brown Center on Education Policy, noted that while private institutions with large endowments, such as Harvard and Yale, are less affected by state DEI bans, they may soon face scrutiny similar to that of public universities. Meyer pointed out that these private institutions are not directly governed by state legislation, but as the conversation around DEI evolves, there’s increasing pressure for all schools to align with Trump’s orders. It remains unclear how Trump will move forward after the investigations—whether through another executive order or legislative action. However, it is almost certain that this issue will continue to be a focal point, and schools are bracing for further presidential actions.
Two days after Trump signed the executive order on DEI on January 21, researchers were further alarmed when the White House announced plans to freeze funding in order to conduct an ideological review of all federal grants and loans. Following days of legal battles and uncertainty, two judges intervened, and the administration lifted the freeze. However, scientists and researchers who depend on federal funding remain uneasy. The NSF has stated that it is still reviewing “projects, programs, and activities” to ensure they comply with the executive orders, and there is no clarity yet on the status of new and existing NIH grants.
On Friday evening, the NIH revealed it would be reducing the amount it contributes toward overhead costs for research institutions receiving its grants. This new policy could result in major budget shortfalls for universities, as some currently allocate over fifty percent of grant funds to cover support staff and other operational needs, and the new cap will limit this to just fifteen percent.
According to ABC News, on Tuesday, February 4, seven families with transgender or non-binary children filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive orders cutting federal support through Medicare and TRICARE for gender-affirming healthcare for transgender individuals under nineteen. The lawsuit, filed in a Baltimore federal court, also includes PFLAG, a national LGBTQIA+ family support group, and GLMA, an organization of medical professionals, as plaintiffs.
Kristen Chapman, the mother of one of the plaintiffs, shared that her family relocated from Tennessee to Richmond, Virginia, in 2023 due to the gender-affirming care ban in their home state. Her seventeen-year-old daughter, Willow, had an appointment scheduled with a new provider who accepted Medicaid, but the day before the appointment, Trump signed the executive order, and the hospital informed them that they could no longer provide the care. “I thought Virginia would be a safe place for me and my daughter,” Kristen Chapman explained. “Instead, I am heartbroken, tired, and scared.”
She’s not alone in her concerns, as Brian Bond, CEO of PFLAG, mentioned during a press call that they have been receiving numerous calls from parents whose children’s care has been canceled. The ACLU and Lambda Legal, representing the plaintiffs, are asking a judge to temporarily block the executive order. In their court filing, they argue that Trump’s actions are “unlawful and unconstitutional” because they attempt to withdraw federal funds already approved by Congress and violate anti-discrimination laws. The lawsuit also asserts that the order infringes on parents’ rights.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting gender-affirming care for individuals under nineteen. ABC News
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