Medical Experts at Harvard File Lawsuit Against Trump Administration, Alleging Censorship
Uncensored Updated: Harvard Docs Battle Trump Over Removed LGBTQ Research
Stirring some serious controversy, two Harvard Medical School professors, Gordon Schiff and Celeste Royce, have taken legal action against the Trump administration. They accuse the government of yanking their research from public websites due to its LGBTQ focus.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this week, the duo alleges that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services removed their publications. This removal supposedly occurred because the research incorporated terms such as "LGBTQ" and "transgender."
Royce's article, pulled from Patient Safety Network (PSNet), initially addressed the little-known impact of endometriosis in trans- and non-gender confirming individuals. This information was deemed vital to help medical professionals navigate complicated diagnostic situations among these communities.
On the other hand, Schiff's work on suicide risk assessment was pulled due to its use of "transgender" and "LGBTQ" among high-risk groups.
Expressing concerns over potential self-censorship, Royce stated, "we need to fight for academic freedom, for freedom of speech." considering the impact censorship could have on public health.
In a more alarming light, Royce suspects that people would be shocked if they knew how the government's censorship of medical information could affect public health.
The legal team representing the two professors is hopeful for a win, with ACLU of Massachusetts staff attorney Rachel Davidson stating, "we think we're going to win in this lawsuit." They believe the ruling will make clear that the government has no legitimate basis for censoring scientific research in such a manner.
Insights:- The lawsuit stems from the Trump administration's directive, issued in January 2025, to remove "all outward facing media" that "inculcate or promote gender ideology." The call aimed to comply with an executive order regarding gender diversity in federal communications.- At a court hearing, the government's attorney acknowledged the removals as "viewpoint discrimination," a clear violation of the First Amendment.- Judge Leo Sorokin of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled in favor of reinstating the removed articles within seven days, labeling the removals a "flagrant violation" of free speech rights.- Removing such research from public access could lead to hindered access to critical medical knowledge and care for LGBTQ individuals, who often face unique healthcare challenges.- This lawsuit exemplifies a broader attempt by the Trump administration to rollback explicit federal protections for LGBTQ individuals in healthcare. It raises tensions between executive actions targeting "gender ideology" and constitutional protections for academic freedom, medical research, and free speech.
[1] Harvard doctors sue Trump after research removed from government website for references to the LGBTQ+ community[2] Harvard researchers sue the Trump administration for removing their work from public website[3] Endometriosis can occur in trans- and non-gender confirming people, and a sentence protecting this information was removed from a federal government website, according to the lawsuit.[4] Both the lawsuit and the court ruling hinge on the idea that the removals, on the basis of gender identity, represent viewpoint discrimination; a clear violation of the First Amendment.[5] According to Dr. Schiff, the government's removal of LGBTQ-related research could potentially "cost many thousands of lives" by hindering access to critical medical knowledge and care for marginalized populations.
- The lawsuit, spearheaded by Harvard Medical School professors Gordon Schiff and Celeste Royce, claims that the Trump administration's removal of their research from public websites, such as the Patient Safety Network (PSNet), is a violation of academic freedom and freedom of speech, as the research centered on LGBTQ and transgender issues.
- The removal of Royce's article, which focused on the impact of endometriosis in trans- and non-gender confirming individuals, is seen as vital for helping medical professionals understand and navigate complicated diagnostic situations among these communities.
- In the realm of policy and legislation, the lawyers representing Schiff and Royce anticipate a ruling that would make it clear the government has no right to censor scientific research based on references to LGBTQ and transgender individuals, deeming it as a potential threat to public health and general news discourse.
