Sat Feb 01 04:02:50 UTC 2025: **Trump Administration Orders Widespread Removal of Gender-Inclusive Language and Data from Federal Websites**

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal agencies across the United States scrambled on Friday, January 31st, 2025, to comply with a directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to remove all mentions of “gender ideology” from websites, contracts, and internal communications. This sweeping order, stemming from President Donald Trump’s executive order rolling back transgender protections, resulted in the disappearance of significant public health information, the alteration of official documents, and the silencing of federal employees.

The OPM’s memo, issued Wednesday, February 1st, 2025, with a Friday deadline, mandated the removal of gender-inclusive language, the disbanding of employee resource groups, and the termination of related grants and contracts. This led to numerous government websites displaying error messages or becoming temporarily inaccessible. Crucial public health data, including resources on HIV/AIDS for transgender individuals and information regarding the mental health challenges faced by transgender students, vanished from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The Bureau of Prisons re-labeled its “Inmate Gender” page to “Inmate Sex,” removing data on transgender inmates. The State Department removed the “X” gender option from passport applications.

President Trump, when questioned about the website changes, stated he was unaware of the specifics but expressed no opposition to the initiative. Medical organizations, such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America, condemned the removal of vital health information, citing the critical impact on public health efforts. Furthermore, State Department employees were ordered to remove gender pronouns from email signatures, and USAID employees reported fears of reprisals for speaking out against the changes. The Department of Defense also announced the halting of recognition of gender identity within the military.

The actions taken by the Trump administration have sparked widespread concern over the suppression of vital information and the potential erosion of inclusivity within the federal government. The long-term consequences of these changes on public health and social services remain to be seen.

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