Trump cancels 68 research grants focussing on LGBTQ+ health concerns

The Trump administration has ordered the cancellation of at least 68 research grants which were awarded to explore various LGBTQ+ health issues.

According to the Associated Press, as of last week the US government terminated at least 68 grants to 46 institutions totalling nearly $40 million. Most of the grants related to sexual minorities, with topics including HIV prevention, cancer, youth suicide and bone health.

One researcher named Simon Rosser commented after having his grant cancelled, telling the AP: “We now no longer have anywhere studying LGBT cancer in the United States.”

“When you decide to cancel all the grants on sexual minorities, you really slow down scientific discovery, for everyone,” Rosser went on. “Young researchers will lose their jobs, and the field as a whole will suffer.”

“It’s a loss of a whole generation of science,” Rosser explained.

Termination letters seen by AP stated that grants were being cancelled because the research was “unscientific” or did “nothing to enhance the health of many Americans.”

“You know, queer and trans folks are Americans also” – Tara McKay

Another researcher named Tara McKay, who leads Vanderbilt University’s LGBTQ+ Policy Lab, commented on this language. “My project’s been accused of having no benefit to the American people. And, you know, queer and trans folks are Americans also,” McKay said.

It’s understood that much of the $40 million awarded has already been spent by researchers but that at least $1.36 million in future support will no longer be provided by the government.

Grants had been awarded by the National Institutes of Health, an agency under Health and Human Services . Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for HHS, said the agency is “dedicated to restoring our agencies to their tradition of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based science.”

This move by the current administration follows news of Trump’s attempts to limit access to life saving HIV medication earlier this year.