US states told to erase 'gender ideology' from classrooms or lose funding: What you need to know about Trump's latest move

The Trump administration has instructed 40 US states, the District of Columbia, and five territories to remove references to what it terms "gender ideology" from federally funded sex education materials. The directive is linked to the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), which provides over $81 million in funding annually.

States have been given 60 days to comply or risk losing access to their share of the PREP grants. These funds support adolescent sexual health education, particularly for marginalised youth, including those who are homeless, in foster care, or from communities with high teen birth rates.

Funding at risk for sex education programmes
According to the Associated Press, states were notified by the federal Administration for Children and Families that any content in sex education curricula referencing LGBTQ+ issues, gender identity, or non-binary pronouns must be removed to retain federal support. Specific examples cited in the letters include a curriculum in Alabama encouraging students to state their pronouns and discussions acknowledging identities such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Acting Assistant Health and Human Services Secretary Andrew Gradison said, as reported by the Associated Press, "Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas." He further stated that the administration's position is to recognise individuals only as male or female.

California already stripped of $12 million
California had previously been warned about its non-compliance with the new federal directives. As a result, the state's $12 million grant was revoked on August 21, as reported by the Associated Press. Other states now face similar penalties if they do not adjust their materials by late October.

Sex education funding targets vulnerable groups
PREP funding is allocated to teach young people about contraception and abstinence, focusing on adolescents who are at increased risk of unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. The grants are used by schools and community organisations to train instructors and deliver sex education content, often including information about LGBTQ+ populations.

Alison Macklin, a spokesperson for SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, stated the funding is vital for states and territories, according to the Associated Press. "They build critical life skills for young people," she said.

Some states have laws requiring education on lesbian, gay, and transgender individuals. The new federal position creates a conflict between state laws and federal funding requirements.

Opposition from state officials and medical groups
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong indicated possible legal opposition, stating, "Threatening to defund our schools over this is completely unhinged and we're not going to let Trump steal money from our kids," as quoted by the Associated Press.

Mainstream medical organisations, including the American Medical Association, maintain that sex and gender exist on a spectrum. The Trump administration's binary view contradicts these positions, as noted by the Associated Press.

Support from conservative states
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster voiced support for the administration's directive. In remarks to reporters, he said, "The things they describe there really have got no business being in there," and added, "Somebody has gone crazy somewhere trying to put all this stuff" in lessons, as quoted by the Associated Press.

The current policy is part of President Donald Trump's broader push, since returning to the White House in January, to eliminate what he describes as "gender ideology" from public programmes.

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