Research scientists self-censor gay-related ‘red flags’ to get funding
”Most often, researchers tried to “game” the system by continuing to do their research as before while employing practices specifically designed to disguise the most controversial aspects of their research. Half (51%), for example, said that they removed potential ”red flag” words from titles and abstracts of their subsequent NIH grant submissions. Deleted words included: gay; lesbian; bisexual; sexual intercourse; anal sex; homosexual; homophobia; AIDS; bare backing; bathhouses; sex workers; needle-exchange; and harm-reduction. As one interviewee put it: ”I do not study sex workers, I study women at risk”
Portion of a study by Joanna Kempner just published in the Journal of the Public Library of Science that concludes that a inquisition launched in 2003 by Republican Rep. Patrick Toomey had a chilling effect on the language used in sex-related research projects seeking government funding. (PLoS)
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