In a move that has left the scientific and academic communities reeling, President Trump has issued executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These orders have led agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a list of banned words, which has sent shockwaves through the halls of research and education.
The list, as reported by The Washington Post, includes terms like “activism,” “advocacy,” “barrier,” “biased,” “BIPOC,” “Black and Latinx,” “community diversity,” “cultural differences,” “disability,” “discrimination,” “diverse backgrounds,” “equity,” “ethnicity,” “female,” “gender,” “Hispanic minority,” “implicit bias,” “inclusion,” “LGBTQ,” “marginalized,” “minority,” “polarization,” “prejudice,” “privileges,” “racial,” “racism,” “sense of belonging,” “social justice,” “socioeconomic,” “status,” “stereotypes,” “systemic,” “trauma,” “underrepresented,” “underserved,” “victim,” and “women,” among many others. A more comprehensive list is at the end of this blog post. I have tried to confirm the complete list and have found some variations, this may not be inclusive of all of the banned terms.
The issue is that when found in research grants, publications, or online content, these words trigger a review to ensure compliance with the executive orders. Identifying these terms involves a software algorithm that flags grant applications containing DEI-related language. This has led to a situation where virtually any research involving human participants could be affected, as noted by Dr. Darby Saxbe, a professor at the University of Southern California, who shared the list on Twitter. The NSF’s decision tree, circulated among program officers, guides them in determining the appropriateness of the language used in research projects.
The implications of this list are profound. Scientists receiving NSF funding have been instructed to discontinue activities that contradict these executive orders, leading to a chilling effect on research. UC San Diego researchers, for example, have been told to scrub their websites of DEI language, and a $35 million USAID global research grant on reproductive health and nutrition was lost due to these restrictions.
Listen to UC San Diego researchers share their alarm:
The Trump administration’s actions have not been limited to the NSF. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as other Federal Agencies have also been instructed to remove references to DEI, transgender identity, and other gender-related topics from their publications and online resources. For the CDC alone, this directive has resulted in the removal of over 8,000 web pages across various government websites, including critical health reports and datasets related to HIV, the LGBTQ community, and youth health.
The Federal Agencies that are being forced to scrub the banned words from their documents include:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC has been instructed to remove terms like “gender,” “transgender,” “pregnant person,” “LGBT,” “non-binary,” “assigned male at birth,” “assigned female at birth,” and several others from its website and publications.
- National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF is reviewing thousands of active research projects for terms that could violate President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: This agency was instructed to remove terms such as “transgender” and “gender identity” from their publications.
- Veterans Affairs Hospitals: Staff at some Veterans Affairs hospitals were informed via an internal email that displaying LGBTQ flags and other related symbols was no longer permissible.
- Health and Human Services Department: A page discussing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination based on various factors including race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, was also affected by the orders.
- The Department of Education has taken several actions in response to President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives:
- End of Support for Transgender Students: The Department of Education has instructed employees to end all programs, contracts, and policies that “fail to affirm the reality of biological sex,” effectively targeting support for transgender students. This includes school-based mental health services and support for homeless students.
- Enforcement of 2020 Title IX Rule: The Department of Education has announced it will enforce the Trump Administration’s 2020 Title IX Rule, which protects women’s rights based on biological sex. This move reverses the Biden Administration’s 2024 Title IX rewrite, which was ruled unlawful by a federal court.
- Book Bans: The Department of Education has dismissed complaints related to book bans, labeling them as a “hoax.” This reflects a broader push against what the administration perceives as censorship in education.
- Employee Resource Groups: The Department has also targeted employee resource groups that promote gender ideology, stating they cannot meet on government property or during official work hours.
Legal experts are now examining the legitimacy of these actions, with some arguing that the administration’s censorship violates the First Amendment. The backlash has been intense, with some online resources being reinstated due to public outcry, but many crucial guidelines and information remain missing.
As a school nurse, a public health professional, a woman, a mother, and a new grandmother, I am deeply concerned about the impact of these executive orders on public health, education, and the well-being of our students. The erasure of identities and the restriction of human rights and civil liberties threaten to undermine the very foundation of scientific inquiry and public health initiatives in the United States. We must stand up for the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that our schools and communities remain safe, inclusive spaces for all.
The list of words identified by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as being flagged in response to President Trump’s executive orders includes:
- activism
- activists
- advocacy
- advocate
- advocates
- barrier
- barriers
- biased
- biased toward
- biases
- biases towards
- BIPOC
- Black and Latinx
- community diversity
- community equity
- cultural differences
- cultural heritage
- culturally responsive
- disabilities
- disability
- discriminated
- discrimination
- discriminatory
- diverse backgrounds
- diverse communities
- diverse community
- diverse group
- diverse groups
- diversified
- diversify
- diversifying
- diversity and inclusion
- diversity equity
- enhance the diversity
- enhancing diversity
- equal opportunity
- equality
- equitable
- equity
- ethnicity
- excluded
- female
- females
- fostering inclusivity
- gender
- gender diversity
- genders
- hate speech
- Hispanic minority
- historically
- implicit bias
- implicit biases
- inclusion
- inclusive
- inclusiveness
- inclusivity
- increase diversity
- increase the diversity
- Indigenous community
- inequalities
- inequality
- inequitable
- inequities
- institutional
- LGBTQ
- marginalize
- marginalized
- minorities
- minority
- multicultural
- polarization
- political
- prejudice
- privileges
- promoting diversity
- race and ethnicity
- racial
- racial diversity
- racial inequality
- racial justice
- racially
- racism
- sense of belonging
- sexual preferences
- social justice
- sociocultural
- socioeconomic
- status
- stereotypes
- systemic
- trauma
- underappreciated
- underrepresented
- underserved
- underrepresentation
- undervalued
- victim
- women
- women and underrepresented
- First Amendment Violations: This order encourages federal agencies and universities to punish protected speech, which is a clear violation of free speech rights.
- Legal Challenges: Legal experts and advocacy groups, like the ACLU, have criticized these actions as unconstitutional. They argue that such orders are too vague and broad, potentially restricting protected speech.
- Impact on Private Companies: The executive orders also try to influence private companies by encouraging them to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. While the administration can’t force this, the threat of legal action against companies with DEI policies will most assuredly discourage free speech and expression.
- Uncertainty and Legal Challenges: The orders are not clear about what counts as “illegal DEI,” leading to potential abuse. This has already resulted in legal challenges, with one lawsuit filed against the Office of Management and Budget’s funding pause, alleging violations of the First Amendment and other laws.
- Government Compelled Speech: The orders force government agencies to remove or change content related to DEI, gender, and other identity-based terms. This can be seen as the government making people say things they don’t agree with, which goes against the First Amendment.
Stay informed, read all of the Presidential actions listed on whitehouse.gov
This is a time for action! There is power in the collective voice. Thank you Holly David for sharing this excellent resource – 5calls.org Call your elected representatives in Washington by using this easy app
Calling your representative is the best way to make your voice heard.
Once your congressperson forms a public stance on an issue, it’s hard for them to walk it back. The earlier they hear your opinion, the more likely it is you’ll make an impact. 5calls.org
Calling is by far the most effective way to ensure that your representative hears you before they take a public stance..
Other kinds of messages take longer.
By contrast, congressional staffers tally phone calls right away.
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This post and Orwelian list sent shockwaves through the halls of this gal’s house!!!
I know Judy, it’s unbelievable, but at the same time, they told everyone what they were planning with Project 2025.
Yes they sure did. Explicitly.
This is so horrible, I almost don’t know how to express it! We all must speak up!!!
Yes Deb! We must speak up!
Robin, I did not see the words “male” or “men” on your list. Coincidence? I think not. I am dumbfounded nearly every day by the unconstitutional rhetoric being spewed from the White House. May God help us to see the return of common sense and kindness to our government!
Thank you Peggy and you are absolutely correct, no male, or men on the list. We are headed into very rough waters…I appreciate your message.