CDC Removes Over a Dozen Webpages on Sexual and Gender Identity and Health Equity

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently removed more than a dozen webpages addressing sexual and gender identity, health equity, and related topics, according to reports from CNBC. The removal was carried out following a directive from the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, which oversees the CDC. An internal CDC email viewed by CNBC indicated that the pages were to be removed by the end of September 19, with the email sent to employees whose work was related to these pages. The affected webpages included content on sexually transmitted infections in gay men, health equity for people with disabilities, and fact sheets on asexuality and bisexuality.

Health equity advocates expressed concern over the removals, warning that it could create gaps in access to critical health information, especially for marginalized populations, and undermine efforts to provide equitable care. A spokesperson from the LBGT PA Caucus, a nonprofit focused on promoting LGBTQ+ health equity, noted that removing these trusted government resources endangers both public and patient health. The spokesperson added that stripping away information on gender identity does not eliminate the need for it, but instead erodes trust, creates confusion, and places patients at greater risk. Clinicians and communities rely on accessible, accurate, and inclusive guidance to deliver safe and effective care.

The internal CDC email did not explain why HHS issued the directive or why specific topics were targeted. However, several of these subjects have long been targeted by the Trump administration, which implemented executive actions limiting the rights of transgender and nonbinary individuals and rolled back efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. An HHS spokesperson stated that “CDC continues to align their website with Administration priorities and Executive Orders.” The CDC directed CNBC to HHS for comment regarding the removals.

This is not the first time that federal health resources have been affected by administration actions. Thousands of webpages across CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other federal agency websites were abruptly removed starting in late January under an executive order from former President Donald Trump, which prohibited references to gender identity in federal policies and documents. In February, a federal judge temporarily ordered HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore public access to these pages while litigation proceeded. In July, the same judge ruled that the mass removal of health resources was unlawful and required agencies to review and reinstate the affected pages.

Following the July ruling, the Trump administration reported to the court on September 19 that most agencies had restored the removed pages, with 185 pages in compliance and 11 CDC pages still under review. It remains unclear how many of the pages removed in September were part of the lawsuit and which pages were still under review as of September 19.

The internal CDC email included a spreadsheet listing the more than a dozen pages removed by September 19. A separate spreadsheet compiled by CDC employees and viewed by CNBC also indicated an additional offline site. CNBC verified that the pages in question are currently offline. The digital archive site, Wayback Machine, shows when these pages were last active, with several remaining online as recently as early September, though the exact date of the CDC’s official removal of all pages is unclear.

In summary, the CDC’s removal of over a dozen webpages on sexual and gender identity, health equity, and related topics, following an HHS directive, has raised concerns about access to critical health information for marginalized communities. These actions are linked to prior Trump-era policies restricting gender identity references in federal resources, and although some pages have been restored following court orders, several remain under review, highlighting ongoing tensions between government directives, legal rulings, and public access to inclusive health information.