By USAID Spends $7.9 Million Teaching Sri Lankan Journalists to Avoid “Binary-Gendered Language”
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated $7.9 million to train Sri Lankan journalists on avoiding “binary-gendered language,” a linguistic approach that moves away from traditionally male and female terms to promote gender inclusivity. This includes using gender-neutral pronouns like “they/them” instead of “he/she,” replacing gendered job titles such as “chairperson” instead of “chairman,” and avoiding gendered phrases like “ladies and gentlemen” in favor of more neutral terms like “folks.”
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), criticized the expenditure in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, calling it a “crazy waste of your tax money!”
Musk’s remarks were accompanied by a detailed breakdown of USAID’s global spending, arguing that the agency’s funding priorities are misguided. The document highlighted several controversial projects, including $20 million for a new Sesame Street show in Iraq, $4.5 million to “combat disinformation” in Kazakhstan, and $6 million to transform digital spaces to reflect feminist democratic principles.
Other notable allocations included $1.5 million for art projects promoting disability inclusion, $2 million for sex change procedures and LGBT activism in Guatemala, and $10 million in USAID-funded meals that allegedly ended up in the hands of an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group.
The spending list further outlined $25 million awarded to Deloitte for promoting green transportation in Georgia, $6 million for tourism development in Egypt, and $2.5 million for fostering social inclusion in Vietnam. Additionally, $5 million was granted to EcoHealth Alliance, an organization linked to bat virus research at the Wuhan lab, and $20 million was funneled to a group Musk described as a “key player” in the Russiagate impeachment inquiry.
USAID has also allocated substantial funds for LGBT initiatives worldwide, including $5.5 million for activism in Uganda, $6.3 million for men who have sex with men in South Africa, $3.9 million for LGBT causes in the western Balkans, and $6 million for advancing LGBT issues globally. Additional projects include $2 million for LGBT equality through entrepreneurship in Latin America and $1.5 million for LGBT advocacy in Jamaica.
Closer to home, the agency directed $1.2 million to help the African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency in Washington, D.C., build a 440-seat auditorium, $1.3 million for Arab and Jewish photographers, and $1.1 million for an Armenian LGBT organization.
Musk also highlighted other controversial expenditures, such as $3.9 million for artisanal gold mining in the Amazon and $500,000 allocated to addressing sectarian violence in Israel—just days before the October 7 Hamas attack.
Additionally, attention was drawn to USAID’s broader $150 billion “whole-of-agency” climate strategy, which focuses on achieving an “equitable world” while pursuing net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The revelations have sparked renewed scrutiny over USAID’s budget and priorities, with critics questioning whether taxpayer money is being effectively utilized.
