Don't Mention 'Women'
Trump’s banned words and disastrous health policies are being rolled out.
What does it mean for the future of science and women’s health research if your word choice puts your funding at risk?
Staff at the National Science Foundation (NSF) began going through thousands of “active science research projects” with a list of keywords to decide if they include “activities that violate executive orders President Donald Trump,” issued during his first week in office. That includes orders to recognize only two genders and get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The search is driven by dozens of flagged words that include “women,” “diverse, “institutional,” “historically,” “trauma,” “barriers,” “equity” and “excluded” amongst others.
Why is the NSF important and why should you care? Because the NSF is a $9 billion agency that funds scientific research around the world, including research stations in Antarctica and astronomy observatories. NSF grants also fund research into quantum technologies, biology and earthquake risk, and advocate training young scientists. But this data purge isn’t just happening at the NSF. Trump is wiping out not just entire federal agency websites but the agencies themselves. Just look at USAID and the Department of Education.
Amongst the first agency Trump targeted for information was the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) where staff were given a list of about 20 terms to “guide decisions to remove or edit content on the website.” Those words include: gender, transgender, pregnant person, pregnant people, LGBT, transsexual, nonbinary, assigned male at birth, biologically male, biologically female, he/she/they/them.
Now, Jezebel is reporting that key federal websites are not just taking out and replacing critical, objective information, but manipulatively presenting adoption as an alternative for abortion. “The alarming changes to federal websites aren’t just cosmetic tweaks—they’re a real-time rewriting of reality to take options away from as many women and pregnant people as possible,” the feminist platform stipulates.
None of this is an accident. All of this is part of a deliberate strategy of the Trump administration’s to push their extreme far-right agenda that will only take us backward. They’re counting on our fear and overwhelm to win.
Do. Not. Give. In. I almost did but more determined now than ever to RESIST.