The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing sweeping changes under the Trump administration, with new directives targeting “gender ideology” and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These changes, stemming from a memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), are impacting everything from website content and employee email signatures to vital research publications.
The OPM memo, titled “Initial Guidance Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women,” mandates a review and removal of materials promoting “gender ideology” across federal agencies. This directive, part of a broader attack on LGBTQ+ rights, particularly targeting transgender individuals, has led to the scrubbing of specific terms and phrases from CDC communications.
The memo, dated January 29, 2025, calls for a review of all programs, contracts, and grants related to “gender ideology” and places staff working on such initiatives on paid administrative leave. It further mandates the removal of related content from websites, social media, and internal communications. Even email signature features prompting pronoun identification have been ordered deactivated. A subsequent email to CDC staff reinforced these directives, requiring the removal of pronouns and other non-compliant information from email signatures by a specified deadline.
These changes have been met with concern within the CDC. An employee, speaking anonymously to MaagX, described the atmosphere as “creepy” and “unprecedented,” noting an “aggressive tone” surrounding the implementation. The source expressed uncertainty about the decision-making process and the ultimate impact of these policies.
The CDC referred MaagX’s inquiries to the Department of Health and Human Services, which did not respond. The OPM also remained unresponsive to requests for comment.
The memo’s vague language has created confusion regarding the specific changes required for the CDC website and other communications. While Trump publicly blamed diversity hiring practices for a recent plane crash, the exact chain of command regarding these policy implementations remains unclear.
Specific changes include replacing “pregnant people” with “pregnant women,” “breastfeeding people” with “breastfeeding women” or “mothers,” and substituting “gender” with “sex.” Terms like “transgender,” “DEI,” “LGBT,” and “environmental justice” are reportedly banned entirely.
The internal impact of these changes is palpable. The CDC employee reported a climate of self-censorship and apprehension, with staff uncertain about the acceptable boundaries of communication.
Beyond language modifications, operational changes are also affecting the CDC’s work. Travel is suspended, presentations are prohibited, and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a crucial publication for disseminating research, has been halted indefinitely. This suspension is delaying the release of important studies, including vital research on avian influenza, as reported by KFF Health News.
The leadership vacuum at the Department of Health and Human Services, pending the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., adds further uncertainty. Kennedy’s controversial stances on vaccines and other health issues have raised concerns within the scientific community and at the CDC.
The impact of these changes is already visible online, with archived versions of the CDC website revealing the removal of research on transgender youth experiences in schools.
The ongoing situation at the CDC underscores the far-reaching consequences of the Trump administration’s policies on public health information and research. The restrictions on language, the chilling effect on internal communication, and the disruption of vital research raise serious questions about the future of the agency and its ability to fulfill its mission.
