Press Release
Alarming Impacts of US Funding Freeze on LGBTIQ People Globally
Region(s)
Publish Date
February 13, 2025
Authors
New York, New York - February 13, 2025 - Today, Outright International is compelled to bring to light the urgent and distressing findings of our new report, Defunding Freedom: Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide, which exposes the severe repercussions of the United States government’s retreat from foreign aid on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) individuals and organizations worldwide.
The report's key findings show the devastating loss of crucial funding and support, imperiling the livelihoods, health, and safety of LGBTIQ people. The withdrawal of foreign aid has led to the closure of emergency shelter and assistance programs, emboldened human rights violators, and ceded space to harmful influences, leaving LGBTIQ individuals more vulnerable. It has created a humanitarian crisis for LGBTIQ communities, depriving them of essential resources. It has also undermined the progress made in advancing equality and inclusion, potentially reversing years of hard-won gains.
Quote from Maria Sjödin (they/she)
“The US government's withdrawal from foreign aid has far-reaching international repercussions, putting at risk the safety and human rights of marginalized communities worldwide. We urgently need funders, including international agencies and private donors, to step in to mitigate the impact of the lost US funding. It is critical that they uphold their moral duty to leave no one behind, ensuring that essential services and projects that have been cut are revived. The United States Congress needs to fulfill its responsibility and take immediate action to ensure that funding allocated for global LGBTIQ equality and inclusion efforts reaches its intended targets,”
While the impacts of U.S. funding cuts are being felt in every sector, there are at least two ways in which LGBTIQ people are particularly vulnerable. First, many of the LGBTIQ organizations that received support from USAID or the U.S. State Department are unable to fundraise locally as a result of criminalizing or discriminatory laws or entrenched societal stigma; unlike organizations in other sectors, few can expect their own governments or private donors in their countries to fill any portion of that gap. Second, LGBTIQ organizations are losing funding at precisely the moment that their communities are facing an upsurge in vitriol from unscrupulous politicians, increasing the risks of violence and exclusion.
As the United States Government intensifies its mission to erase LGBTIQ people’s existence and diminish recourse for minorities in the US and abroad, this report is a call to action to everyone who believes in human rights for all to take heed of these findings and stand in solidarity in defense of what’s already been achieved.
The voices and experiences of LGBTIQ people and organizations must be at the forefront of our collective response. Misinformation and disinformation are insidious weapons that exacerbate an already desperate situation. It’s important that the global mass media use credible civil society data-driven commentary to report on this crisis.
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