DOJ stops funding for research on ‘toxic masculinity,’ ‘structural racism’

The cuts have been described as "wave one," the Daily Wire reported, and prior to Bondi slashing the funds, millions in taxpayer dollars were going to different initiatives such as videotaping black police officers to achieve racial equity, finding out how to "resolve" drug crimes without the justice system, as well as looking into "toxic masculinity."

Earlier this week, Bondi announced that there would be "more to come" alongside the cuts she detailed on social media. Among other cuts included "$2M for 'national listening sessions of individuals with lived experience'" as well as "$695k for 'a parallel convergent mixed-methods case study research design to assess the efficacy of police departments’ LGBTQ liaison services.'"

360 different programs and grants were included in the "wave one" cuts after they were determined not to be in line with President Donald Trump's executive orders. The DOJ said that organizations can have their funding back if they gather enough evidence to prove it “actually helps victims of crime as opposed to being a nebulous slush fund for vague liberal causes.”

One grant of $2 million that got nixed was going to be awarded to a “feminist, culturally specific nonprofit organization" in order to look into "structural racism and toxic masculinities."

Another grant of $1 million was going to help an organization research "how universal service delivery could mitigate the impact of systemic racism" within drug diversion programs.

“Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring its resources are spent on arresting criminals, getting drugs off the streets, and crucial litigation,” DOJ representative Gates McGavick told the outlet. “We will always protect victims of crime and legitimate law enforcement initiatives, but we will no longer spend millions on ‘listening sessions’ and ‘bridging socio-ecological contexts.’"