Trump Terminates Grants to Planned Parenthood for Pushing ‘Sexually Explicit’ Content on Kids

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday notified more than 50 organizations, including Planned Parenthood affiliates, that they will no longer receive teen pregnancy prevention grants after pushing “sexually explicit” content on kids.

The agency sent letters to several Planned Parenthood affiliates, state and local health departments, university systems, and nonprofits notifying them of the termination of Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program grants. The grantees included Planned Parenthood California Central Coast; Planned Parenthood of The Heartland Inc.; the Wisconsin Department of Health; the Maryland Department of Health; the Baltimore City Health Department; the Oklahoma City-County Health Department; the Public Health Authority of Cabarrus County, North Carolina; and Hennepin County, Minnesota.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health’s Office of Population Affairs provides grants to organizations that promote teen pregnancy prevention, as well as organizations that write teen pregnancy prevention curricula. But HHS determined that many of the organizations were using curricula that are “medically inaccurate,” “age-inappropriate,” and “sexually explicit,” violating the statute that established the program.

“After a review of all curricular content, OASH believes that some curricula normalize adolescent sexual activity and are not age appropriate, as they contain overly sexually explicit or pornographic content that is not necessary to achieve the TPP program’s statutory mission,” a letter notifying a grantee of the termination, obtained by the Daily Signal, reads.

“As a result, OASH is adjusting its discretionary Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program award portfolio, which includes the decision not to renew some of its TPP Program awards in order to better prioritize agency resources towards the above-mentioned priorities,” the letter states.

HHS terminated a total of $67 million in teen pregnancy prevention grants, including 53 of the 67 Biden-era grants.

Many of the grantees used curricula that encouraged sexual activity as they presented teen pregnancy prevention programs at schools.

For instance, the Maryland Department of Health used a curriculum including a role play scenario with two boys weighing whether or not to use condoms to avoid contracting HIV. The department did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment by time of publication.

Planned Parenthood California Central Coast used the Love Notes curriculum, which is designed for teens ages 14-19. It includes a story of two high schoolers who have been “hooking for a while—kissing, touching, fooling around a bit.” The story describes one teen trying to convince the other teen, whose mom is not home, to have sex, and the other saying, “I’m not feeling this is right for me…but I guess I should just get over it.” Planned Parenthood California Central Coast offers abortions and so-called gender affirming care to minors.

“We offer hormone therapy for patients 16 years and older at all our 6 health centers,” the website says. “Patients do not need to participate in therapy or provide information from a mental health provider to receive care with us.”

The curriculum also features excerpts describing various forms of pornography, including a celebrity interview discussing exposure to abusive pornography beginning at age 11 and escalating to graphic violent content by age 14.

The celebrity, “Billie,” described abusive porn, including “being slapped, choked, thrown around.”

Planned Parenthood California Central Coast did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment by time of publication.

The Baltimore City Health Department used the Seventeen Days Curriculum, designed for 14-17 year olds. An excerpt describes two teens, Maya and Jordan, discussing having sex in a car. The department didn’t respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time.

Bridgercare, which says on its website that it sees “patients who need help paying for their visit, teens, LGBTQ+ individuals, survivors of sexual assault, and people who are not sexually active or have multiple partners,” uses the Making Proud Choices curriculum. The curriculum designed for ages 11-16 includes a graphic description of how to use contraception.

“Many of you have never seen or touched a condom,” the curriculum says. “We’re going to practice using external condoms so that you will know what they feel like and how to use them if and when you are ready to use them.”

The Montana-based “reproductive healthcare facility,” says on its website it “welcomes teens of all genders and sexual orientations.” Bridgercare did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment.

Healthy Futures of Texas used the SHARP Curriculum. It is made for ages 15-19 and asks teenagers to discuss “obtaining condoms,” including comparing “differences in costs, privacy, and any other concerns.” The conversation facilitator is told to “Briefly discuss carrying condoms, covering the following topics: Where can teenagers carry condoms?” Healthy Futures of Texas did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment.

In addition to terminating the grants, HHS announced two new grant opportunities that promote body literacy in place of radical gender ideology, abortion, and contraception. The opportunities will “focus on programs that do not promote material that depicts, describes, exposes, or presents obscene, indecent, or sexually explicit content, including content that normalizes or promotes sexual activity for minors.”