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Statement co-written with SEKSO, a network of more than 200 researchers in the Netherlands and Flanders.Sign this statement
The recent executive orders by president Trump of the United States attacking gender language and inclusivity in science, are a direct violation of academic freedom and human rights. These actions of the current US administration threaten the very foundations of science, undermine knowledge progress, and marginalize vulnerable individuals, communities and populations, such as sexual and gender minorities, especially those of color, with migrant backgrounds, or refugees. As researchers, we are committed to guarding the foundational principles of academic freedom and inclusivity in both science and society, and advocate for the open exchange of knowledge that is essential for building resilient and sustainable societies.
We are deeply concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders of the present Trump administration about ‘wasteful diversity, equity and inclusion programs’ and ‘the recognition of only two sexes’. Both the biological reality of a wide range of intersex variations among humans, and the existence and lived experiences of transgender and other non-cisgender individuals are denied. It also has a profound impact on academic freedom. For example, the American National Science Foundation (NSF) has been asked to flag grants specifically for terms like ‘diversity’, ‘equity’, and ‘inclusion’. The temporary freezing of grant reviews for scientific research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been eased, but scientists are still banned from public speaking, and programs are still being checked for violation of Trump’s executive orders. Furthermore, publicly available information and data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been removed and made inaccessible, and submitted scientific manuscripts mentioning flagged terms have been ordered to be retracted.
These actions have far-reaching and disruptive consequences that affect individuals, communities and societies worldwide. They profoundly undermine the very foundations of science: academic freedom, scientific integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. This not only threatens the advancement of scientific knowledge but, more critically, it jeopardizes the human rights and well-being of vulnerable individuals, communities, and populations, by erasing the experiences, identities and needs of those who do not fit traditional binary categories of gender and sexuality. Excluding entire communities from scientific, educational, and medical recognition will not only deepen social inequalities but also deprive future generations of essential knowledge about sex and gender diversity, along with all societal activities where such knowledge is being put to practice. Such actions fuel misinformation, discrimination, and ultimately reverse decades of progress toward a more informed and inclusive society.
As scholars, sexologists and educators involved in scientific research on sexuality and gender, we advocate for inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights throughout life for all individuals. As such, we strongly condemn all forms of gender censorship and restrictions of academic freedom. We express our wholehearted support for our academic peers in the United States and all others affected by these measures. Humans and societies are constantly evolving, and to advance and thrive, we must pursue science with integrity and an open mind. Therefore, we defend the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and higher education as a public good. It is our responsibility to resist the current attacks and not surrender in anticipation of them, as affirmed by the American Association of University Professors.
We invite all our peers, both within and beyond the academic community, to join us in discussing how we can take collective action on this issue. Together, we must stand for academic freedom, scientific integrity, inclusion, and human rights, and we will not stop voicing and guarding this commitment.
This statement in support of inclusive science, academic freedom, and human rights was drafted by sexuality and gender scholars and scientists from the Netherlands and Flanders, who are members of the Dutch-Flemish network of sexuality researchers (SEKSO), the Dutch and Flemish Scientific Associations for Sexology (NVVS/ VVS), the Flemish-Dutch LGBTI research network, the Dutch interuniversity LGBTI research network INQUEERI, academic gender and sexuality research labs (e.g., the Erasmus Love Lab), the Dutch Journal of Sexology, the Dutch Journal of Gender Studies, the Netherlands Research School of Gender Studies, and the Amsterdam Research Centre for Gender and Sexuality.
Read the statement and its signatories on the SEKSO website.
