Some public health websites that the US government was directed to reinstate with content related to gender and gender identity now carry a cautionary message denying the existence of transgender individuals. The warnings echo language found in an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on January 20, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” This order articulates the US policy of recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and directs agencies to remove any statements suggesting otherwise.
Following a federal judge’s order to restore specific government public health webpages and datasets to their state as of January 30, warnings have been added to these sites. It remains uncertain whether these warnings could potentially violate the court order. The alert informs visitors that the information has been reinstated due to a legal mandate, but cautions that any content promoting gender ideology is deemed highly inaccurate and detached from the established biological reality of two sexes, male and female.
The warning, highlighted in a blue box, appears on various government pages, including one from the FDA discussing sex differences in the evaluation of medical products. It strongly denounces gender ideology, stating that the Trump Administration rejects it and condemns the harm it inflicts on children and women. The message further asserts that the page does not align with biological reality and is therefore rejected by the Administration and the department in question.
Moreover, this warning is displayed on other pages such as “Diversity Action Plans to Improve Enrollment of Participants from Underrepresented Populations in Clinical Studies,” the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and the Social Vulnerability Index within CDC databases. While the administration asserts the existence of only two sexes, the scientific community acknowledges a more complex understanding.
Research indicates a distinction between “sex” and “gender,” with public health websites historically reflecting this nuance. Sex pertains to biological variances, encompassing chromosomes, reproductive organs, and hormones, according to the American Medical Association. Gender, conversely, refers to an individual’s identity as a man, woman, another gender, or none at all, which may or may not correspond with their assigned sex at birth.
Government health platforms have traditionally provided information tailored to transgender individuals, yet references to this group were expunged from numerous government websites by the Trump administration. Notably, the page dedicated to the Stonewall Uprising national monument, a significant location in LGBTQ+ history, omitted mention of transgender activists pivotal to the movement.
In light of Judge John Bates’ temporary restraining order, the situation continues to evolve.
Following a lawsuit filed by Doctors for America against the government, claiming irreparable harm resulting from the removal of numerous public health websites that doctors relied on for patient care and research, a significant controversy emerged. The websites in question had been taken down due to their mention of what an Office of Personnel Management memo referred to as “gender ideology.” This memo mandated the elimination of such language by January 31st.
Among the websites that were removed were various CDC pages covering topics such as HIV, treatment guidelines for sexually transmitted infections, and resources for LGBTQ youth. These included sites discussing the elevated risk of suicide among LGBT children and addressing health disparities within the LGBTQ youth community. Surprisingly, even a page offering guidance on “Safer Food Choices for Pregnant People” was also removed.
Interestingly, not all pages referring to transgender individuals featured the new warning; some were revised to eliminate gender-specific terms. For instance, the CDC’s resource on food choices during pregnancy has been renamed “Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women.” Similarly, references to transgender youth on the CDC’s suicide disparities page have been removed. Moreover, a fact pertaining to the higher prevalence of cigarette smoking among transgender adults was deleted from a page discussing LGBTQ+ individuals and smoking, even though the page title still contains the letter “T.”
Despite these changes, some pages have yet to be reinstated. The Office of Personnel Management informed CNN that no additional directives had been issued to agencies regarding the affected websites. Instead, the office stated in an email that it believed the matter was being addressed “at the agency level.” Notably, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the White House, the CDC, and the FDA did not provide comments in response to CNN’s inquiries on the matter as of Friday.
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