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2mo ago

USDA Cancels Grant for Menstrual Product Research After Conservative Backlash

The $600,000 grant aimed to develop sustainable menstrual products, but its mention of transgender men drew criticism from conservative groups and led to its cancellation.

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 14: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks to the press outside the White House on February 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rollins yesterday to be the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by a vote of 72-to-28. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty)

Overview

  • The USDA revoked a $600,000 grant awarded to Southern University for menstrual product research after conservative activists objected to a single mention of transgender men in the project description.
  • The research focused on creating sustainable menstrual products from natural fibers and educating young women and girls about menstrual health, not on transgender men as critics claimed.
  • Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the cancellation on social media, crediting the American Principles Project for flagging the grant as promoting 'gender ideology.'
  • Southern University clarified that the project aimed to benefit all biological women and included the mention of transgender men only once to acknowledge inclusivity.
  • The cancellation reflects broader efforts by the Trump administration to roll back policies acknowledging transgender and nonbinary identities.