Fox News reported that a U.S. taxpayer-funded program aimed at improving media ethics in Sri Lanka promoted gender-inclusive language among journalists.
The Media Empowerment for a Democratic Sri Lanka (MEND) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched an initiative encouraging journalists to state their gender pronouns, avoid assuming others’ gender identities, and eliminate binary-gendered terms like “ladies and gentlemen.”
According to Fox News, MEND shared multiple presentations on gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues. One of these, titled “Gender Pronouns,” instructed journalists to apologize if they misgendered someone and to normalize sharing their own pronouns. Another presentation, “What is Gender Expression?”, stated that gender is a social and cultural constructrather than being strictly defined by biological sex.
MEND also provided guidance on gender roles, suggesting that parents give children a variety of toys, such as trucks, dolls, and action figures, to prevent gender stereotyping. Additionally, its LGBTQ+ reporting guide advised journalists against using phrases like “born a girl” or “born a boy” and instead recommended using the term “sex assigned at birth.”
Launched in 2017 with a $7.9 million budget, MEND ran until at least April 2023. According to USAID, the program received $7.9 million and reached over 24,000 Sri Lankans, aiming to strengthen ethical journalism, media literacy, and balanced reporting.
