The CDC Directed to Eliminate Phrases such as 'Transgender' and 'LGBT' from Its Website
Staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spent last Thursday grappling with how to adhere to a directive sent out by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), demanding an end to anything that endorses "gender ideology." The memo, distributed to federal agencies, included the CDC amongst its targets, and the agency is now planning to purge CDC materials of forbidden terminology. This move is part of President Donald Trump's ongoing barrage against LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender Americans, with the primary goal of inflicting as much distress as possible on marginalized communities.
The memorandum, titled "Initial Guidance Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women," was released on Wednesday by the Chief Human Capital Officers Council. It was also sent to CDC staff and references an executive order issued by Trump, which misleadingly claims to safeguard women. Phrases such as "gender ideology" and "DEI" (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) have been rebranded as derogatory code words by Trump supporters, aimed at eradicating anything associated with these concepts from the government.
The memo, dated January 29, 2025, mandates a thorough review of all CDC programs, contracts, and grants involving "gender ideology." Any staff members participating in such projects are now on paid administrative leave. The document further orders the withdrawal of any documents and communications that nurture or promote "gender ideology," including those visible on public-facing websites and social media accounts. The directive even deems necessary a review of agency email systems such as Outlook, advising personnel to deactivate features that elicit users' pronouns.
A separate email sent to CDC staff on Friday requested modifications to their signature blocks, requiring the removal of pronouns and any unnecessary details by 5:00 p.m. ET. The CDC worker who spoke with Gizmodo, wishing to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, described the changes as "creepy" and "unprecedented," even in comparison to Trump's earlier term from 2017-2021. They further noted an emerging aggressive tone in the organization.
When contacted for comments, the CDC referred queries to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which did not respond. Attempts to request comment via the provided email address, [email protected], were also unsuccessful.
The specific alterations to CDC materials were not outlined in the memo, and it remains unclear who is leading this revamping process within the hierarchical structure. The executive order to eliminate all associations related to "DEI" has originate from high up; on Thursday, Trump unjustly blamed diversity in hiring for the recent plane crash in Washington D.C. that claimed the lives of 67 people. However, it remains unspecified who is driving the decisions on implementing these policies.
As the CDC staff member relayed to Gizmodo, "You don't even know who's making these decisions. There's a lot of anonymity.[1] Every day there's a new surprise. We don't know what exactly the endgame will be. Even before this, we were told to halt communication altogether, even send emails to individuals outside the CDC we would typically collaborate with."
Banned phrases that must be excised from the CDC materials and communications include "pregnant people," which must now read "pregnant women," as well as "breastfeeding people," which must refer to breastfeeding "women" or "mothers." References to the term "gender" must be substituted with "sex," as stated in the memo. Additional words must be eliminated entirely, according to the source, such as "transgender," "DEI," "LGBT," and "environmental justice."
An uneasy atmosphere pervades the CDC, as per the staffer, although they acknowledge that some staff members may agree with these modifications. The majority, however, seem on edge.
"I feel like there's already a lot of self-censorship," said the CDC employee. "I feel like this will have effects beyond any specific memo. People are really walking on eggshells about what they say."
Aside from messaging modifications, there are also changes inside the agency that are impacting job functions. There's a halt on all travel, and no one can deliver presentations. Perhaps most alarming, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report is no longer being published, hindering the dissemination of numerous research findings, including important bird flu studies, according to KFF Health News.[1]
According to the contact person, "There's no timeline. No one ever said we anticipate this to take two weeks or three weeks. It's an open-ended halt."[1] "This is unprecedented in the sense that they're very heavy-handed. They came in with a specific plan to control the messaging."
The HHS, which oversees the CDC, currently lacks a permanent leader. This could change quickly if Trump's nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed. Kennedy faced inquisitions in Senate hearings on both Tuesday and Wednesday, where he was warmly welcomed by some of the country's most intellectually challenged politicians.
"There's a lot of what he's saying that scares me," said the CDC employee, expressing their despair that someone who lacks belief in well-established scientific consensus has been given a platform.
Alterations to the CDC's materials have already sparked attention on social media, with users sharing Wayback Machine images revealing that research regarding transgender youth's experiences in schools has been discontinued from the CDC website.[1]
[1] enrichment data retrieved from source
The future of health-related research at the CDC could be impacted significantly by the implementation of this directive, as it heavily relies on the use of scientific terminology and concepts, such as 'gender' and 'inclusion', which are being targeted for removal. Ongoing advancements in the field of science, including technology, may be hindered if these banned concepts are not addressed in future CDC research or communications.
As the debate surrounding these policies continues, there's a growing concern within the scientific community about the potential long-term implications of the CDC's future direction, given that science and health have traditionally been driven by collaboration, diversity, and the free exchange of ideas.
