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Support Two Spirit Rights and Equity For All
The Office of Management and Budget issued a new proposed rule that will impact nearly all federal agencies’ grantmaking.
The agency wants to block federal funding for groups and institutions such as hospitals, public schools and universities, nonprofits, and Tribally run entities that support trans and Two-Spirit people (or even acknowledge their existence), work toward diversity and equity, serve undocumented immigrants, or support access to abortions.
This rule will pressure federal funding recipients to discriminate against trans and Two-Spirit people in various ways, including ending gender-affirming care, excluding them from homeless shelters, banning them from bathrooms, and erasing references to trans people in public materials.
This will impact Native people and likely Native-focused programs and services, including healthcare and housing -- violating Tribal treaty rights and sovereignty.
The new sweeping rule threatens to take away funds from grant recipients for noncompliance.
It also requires a “pre-issuance review” by a political appointee before any grant recipient can receive funds, elevating partisan viewpoints over the current nonpartisan system of peer reviewers and career experts who decide who gets funding for scientific research and other projects.
If finalized, this could take effect on October 1 of this year. As with every federal rule, future administrations can undo it -- though that takes time.
If enough of us speak out now (before the comment period closes on July 13), we may be able to block this before it’s finalized.
Will you speak up for 2SLGBTQI+ people, immigrants, and Tribal and bodily sovereignty by submitting a public comment today?
