Sri Lankan journalists among those receiving USAID funding for LGBT causes

• $7.9 million allocated to teach Sri Lankan journalist how to avoid “binary-gendered language”

The Trump administration revealed details of how the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded various projects in several countries including Sri Lanka that it deemed “ridiculous” over the years including $7.9 million allocated to teach Sri Lankan journalist how to avoid “binary-gendered language.” 

The documents further revealed that the USAID funded millions of dollars to countries for LGBT groups and their activism - a topic that Mr Trump is trying to discard from the US. 

According to the document, the USAID funded $2 million for sex changes and LGBT activism in Guatemala, $1.1 million to an Armenian LGBT group, $1.5 million to promote LGBT advocacy in Jamaica, $2 million to promote LGBT equality through entrepreneurship in Latin America, $3.9 million for LGBT causes in the Western Balkans, $5.5 million for LGBT activism in Uganda, $6 million for advancing LGBT issues in priority countries around the world, and $6.3 million for men who have sex with men in South Africa.  
Tech billionaire Elon Musk also reacted to the documents, calling it a “crazy waste” of people’s tax money.  
 
In recent days, USAID has faced significant disruption as part of the Trump administration’s broader push to overhaul the federal government. On Monday, the administration announced it would merge USAID with the State Department, following days of turmoil at the agency and comments by tech billionaire and close presidential advisor Elon Musk, suggesting that USAID might be shut down entirely.   

Employees have been told to stay out of USAID’s headquarters in Washington, career staffers have been put on leave, contractors have been laid off, and international staffers across the globe have been ordered to return home.   

USAID is the U.S. government’s lead humanitarian and development agency, providing assistance to countries worldwide to help address poverty, disease, and other humanitarian crises as well as to promote democracy and other U.S. interests.