Taxpayer funds totaling approximately $230 million have been allocated to grants that examine "intersectionality," a concept used to analyze how factors such as race, class, and gender identity contribute to privilege and discrimination, according to a report by the Defense of Freedom Institute and the Legal Insurrection Foundation. The report identified 249 instances of federal assistance spending during the Biden administration that utilized the keyword "intersectionality."
William Jacobson, founder of the Legal Insurrection Foundation and a Cornell Law School professor, stated that the federal government has been funding the "Intersectionality movement" and called for it to cease. "Race-obsessed ‘Intersectionality’ doctrine provides the toxic fuel for radical anarchist groups like the Turtle Island Liberation Front, and is the mothers’ milk for destructive anti-American and anti-capitalist agendas that dominate campuses," Jacobson said.
Intersectionality is defined as a framework where an individual's race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other characteristics are examined to assess their privilege and potential for discrimination. The report highlights that the funding for such initiatives saw a significant increase during the Biden administration, reaching $80.1 million in 2023. Approximately $140 million has been spent to date, with an additional $90 million earmarked for future distribution.
The report notes that the funding levels for these initiatives have decreased under the current administration. Some of these grants have performance periods extending through 2030. The funding has been distributed across various sectors, including scientific research funded by the National Institutes of Health, museum programs, and community living initiatives.
In some cases, the grants were for scientific research, such as medical studies, where grant applicants incorporated intersectionality principles. For example, a grant of $10.99 million to the New Hampshire Department of Health for cancer prevention and control programs aimed to target "populations that experience health disparities across the cancer continuum and experience intersectionality of gender and income inequality." Another grant awarded $7.53 million to the University of California, San Francisco, for an Asian American cancer cohort.
Other grants explicitly centered on intersectionality. These include an $8.16 million grant to New York University for a "National Center for Engagement in Diabetes Equity Research" and a $14.25 million grant to Drexel University for "Catalyzing Systemic Change at Drexel University to Support Diverse Faculty in Health Disparities."
The report expresses concern that the focus on intersectionality in these grants may lead to "unlawful identity-based decision-making" while appearing more technical. The authors contend that ranking individuals based on "ideological assumptions about oppression and privilege based on group membership" is flawed.
Robert Eitel, President of the Defense of Freedom Institute, described intersectionality as a primary driver of anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and antisemitism. "Federal agencies must ensure that grants are used to advance the purposes Congress authorized and address real public needs, not bankroll an ideological framework designed to divide Americans into categories of privilege and oppression," Eitel stated.
Of the 249 grants identified, approximately 100 are reportedly still active. The Defense of Freedom Institute and Legal Insurrection Foundation have previously advocated for the reduction of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT) initiatives, and are now urging the Trump administration to take executive action to halt federal funding for intersectionality programs.