PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge in Oregon has blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from pulling sexual education funding over curricula mentioning diverse gender identities.
U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken issued the preliminary injunction on Monday, stemming from a lawsuit filed against the Health and Human Services Department by 16 states and the District of Columbia. The lawsuit argues that withdrawing funding violates the separation of powers as well as federal law.
The complaint states that the department is effectively attempting to reshape sexual health curricula, potentially erasing entire categories of students. This has been characterized as a targeted attack on transgender and gender-diverse youth. The administration maintains that the Health and Human Services Department holds the authority to set conditions for receiving grant funding.
Judge Aiken noted that the department had not provided evidence regarding factual findings or substantial regulatory criteria, claiming that the new grant conditions are unreasonable.
The department, prior to the ruling, emphasized its commitment to removing what it termed 'radical gender ideology' from federal programs throughout the country.
According to the lawsuit, the administration's desire to eliminate funding based on restrictive definitions of gender could result in at least $35 million in losses to states involved, critically diminishing their capacities to provide essential sexual health education aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
The ruling was welcomed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who stated it protected the funding necessary for crucial health education initiatives.
This case underscores a broader national discussion about gender identity in education and sexual health resources, highlighting the contentiousness surrounding the Trump administration's policies in this area.
