Key takeaways from the latest reports include:

• Federal agencies have been ordered to eliminate references to "gender ideology" from websites and email signatures.
• Widespread removal of public health information related to transgender individuals was reported, raising concerns from medical experts.
• The changes, directed by a memo from the Office of Personnel Management, had to be completed by 5 p.m. on Friday.

A directive from the Trump administration has resulted in a significant overhaul of federal agencies' approach to gender-related terminology. The memo, issued by the Office of Personnel Management, instructed agency heads to remove all references to "gender ideology" from government websites, contracts, and employee communications, with compliance mandated by Friday evening. This sweeping directive not only instructed agencies to eradicate pronouns from email signatures but also directed the disbanding of employee resource groups and the termination of any related grants and contracts. This follows President Trump’s move to redefine the concept of gender, insisting on a binary classification of sex as strictly male or female.

As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) saw the removal of vital public health information, including guidelines on contraception, HIV statistics related to transgender populations, and resources aimed at fostering supportive environments for transgender youth. Experts from the Infectious Diseases Society of America expressed alarm over these deletions, highlighting that access to this information is critical for strategies aimed at combating the HIV epidemic, underscoring the public health risks of such changes.

The State Department also complied with the directive by removing the option for non-binary individuals to select "X" as their gender on passport applications, replacing the term "gender" with "sex" throughout official documents. All employees across federal agencies were informed of the requirement to delete gender-specific pronouns from email signatures, with specific instructions issued by Tibor Nagy, the acting head of the Bureau of Management.

Concerns have been raised by an anonymous employee from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who reported fears that ongoing programs addressing gender and inclusion may be at risk of being targeted. The employee stated, “Warnings against gender discrimination in contracts are now flagged and subject to scrutiny,” indicating a potential chilling effect on initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality. This sentiment has found resonance among many employees who worry that their roles and the services they provide are under threat from these new regulations.

Non-compliance with the memo has led to a situation where some government webpages have appeared temporarily disabled, displaying messages indicating that certain pages were not found. This has resulted in a muted public discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion within federal agencies, mirroring sentiments expressed by Trump during a recent press encounter, where he suggested support for these changes.

As the administration moves forward with these directives, it continues to be met with criticism from public health experts and advocacy groups who argue that the removal of essential health information and support for vulnerable populations could have dire consequences for public health. The situation continues to evolve, with ongoing discussions about the implications of such sweeping changes.

For more details, visit the full articles on AP News, South China Morning Post, and India Times.