Researchers dedicated to improving queer health are sounding the alarm, as nearly 300 grants have vanished as part of a sweeping rollback of funding by the federal government. NBC News reports the National Institutes of Health has canceled at least $125 million in grants, with researchers blindsided and fearing for their jobs. The losses hit hard in LGBTQ-focused health, especially in areas impacting gay and trans-Americans. NBC News explains that many of the cancellations trace back to Trump-era executive orders that ban recognition of trans identities and halt DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—initiatives.
As Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance campaign, LGBTQ researchers are bracing for more attacks. Harvard, Columbia, and Penn have already seen research stripped. At the CDC, critical HIV surveillance programs were axed on April 1, including specialized STI testing labs targeting diseases that disproportionately affect gay men.
Even studies into cancer and heart disease were dropped if they mentioned LGBTQ groups. Julia Marcus of Harvard Medical School said, “This is what authoritarianism looks like.” While the NIH’s new director Jay Bhattacharya says he supports health for “every American,” his statements omit gender identity and fail to mention HIV—still a crisis in queer communities. Dr. Chris Beyrer of Duke Global Health said, this “reminds me of the early days of AIDS. We cannot go back.” But for many researchers, it feels like we already are.
