The Trump administration has canceled a $600,000 federal grant aimed at funding a study on menstrual cycles in transgender men. The grant, awarded to Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College in Louisiana, was set to run until April 2027. According to the grant description, “The first occurrence of menstruation occurs at approximately 12 years of age and ends with menopause at roughly 51 years of age.” It also acknowledges that “transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex and non-binary persons may also menstruate.” The study aimed to address concerns surrounding menstruation, including the potential use of natural fibers like hemp in feminine hygiene products.
The funding had drawn scrutiny from the conservative nonprofit American Principles Project, which identified over 340 grants issued under the Biden administration, totaling $128 million, to institutions like colleges and hospitals. Reacting to the cancellation, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described it as “insanity” and tweeted, “CANCELLED: $600,000 grant to study ‘menstrual cycles in transgender men'”. She added that similar initiatives are set to be canceled by Trump’s administration as part of the “restoration of the United States”.