US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order declaring there are only two sexes. (Reuters: Elizabeth Frantz)
In short:
US health officials are among those agencies scrubbing or taking down webpages that reflect "gender ideology extremism" to conform with the Trump administration's executive order on gender.
Among the information scrubbed from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites includes statistics on HIV among transgender people.
What's next?
Meanwhile, Mr Trump's administration has also urged government workers to quit their "lower productivity jobs" and seek work in the private sector.
US health officials are among those federal agencies scrubbing or taking down webpages, forms and programs that reflect "gender ideology extremism" to conform with the Trump administration's executive order on gender.
President Donald Trump's executive order declares there are only two sexes, male and female.
Among the information scrubbed from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites includes statistics on HIV among transgender people.
Data on health disparities among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth was also removed, while a database tracking behaviours that increase health risks for youth was offline.
Queer people react to Trump's gender order
Photo shows A pride flag before Capitol HIll
A two-page memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management orders agencies must make such such changes by January 31.
The memo specifies that each agency must end all programs that promote or reflect gender ideology as outlined in Mr Trump's executive order, requiring them to "recognise women are biologically female, and men are biologically male."
"There's a lot of work going on at the agency to comply," said a CDC source who was not authorised to speak publicly.
Missing pages also include those with data on HIV in the US in general, as well as pages with statistics on HIV in Hispanic/Latino people, women, by age and by race and ethnicity.
For example, a page with information about how people can get HIV tests was offline on Friday local time, according to the Internet Archive.
As was a page for doctors with information about testing for HIV and treating patients.
Donald Trump's executive order is in opposition to the American Medical Association who says it "supports everyone’s access to quality evidence-based health care regardless of gender or sexual orientation". (Reuters: Carlos Barria/File Photo)
AIDS Foundation head John Peller called the move "alarming".
"In many cases, basic health information is going dark," he said.
Timothy Jackson, senior director of policy and advocacy at the group, said they are going through the CDC website and printing out information used to educate people about HIV that may not be accessible after Friday, local time.
Federal workers are 'replaceable', Trump says
Meanwhile, Mr Trump's administration has also urged government workers to quit their "lower productivity jobs" and seek work in the private sector.
The guidance issued on Thursday night local time comes as Mr Trump embarks on a massive makeover of the US government, firing and sidelining hundreds of civil servants.
For example, at least five top FBI officials in major US cities were ordered to resign or be fired, one of the sources told Reuters on Friday local time.
Trump says air crash cause unknown, but he blames DEI and Democrats
Photo shows Donald Trump speaks with a US flag behind him.
His administration sent a memo to two million government workers on Tuesday about a "deferred resignation program" that would allow them to remain on the payroll through to September 30 but without having to work in person.
In the follow-up "frequently asked questions" memo on Thursday, workers were encouraged to seek a second job during the paid resignation period.
"The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector," the memo said.
Another question about taking extended leave during the resignation period was answered, "You are most welcome (to) stay at home and relax or to travel to your dream destination. Whatever you would like."
Mr Trump's further reiterated his private sector plans on Friday, saying all federal workers are "replaceable".
"It's our dream to have people working in the private sector and not the public sector," he said.
Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also said a "large number" of workers had accepted financial incentives to quit.
People gather during a rally in support of federal funding. (Reuters: Ken Cedeno)
Tim Kauffman, a spokesperson for the American Federation of Government Employees, the biggest federal employees union with 800,000 members, hit out at the suggestion that government jobs are "low productivity."
"These are people working in prisons, working on our border, working at our airports," he told Reuters.
"It's clear they are trying to get a ton of workers to quit, to make it so miserable that they want to leave."
Reuters
