{"id":290245,"date":"2025-03-25T07:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T11:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/?p=290245"},"modified":"2025-05-15T16:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T20:30:50","slug":"why-electric-literature-isnt-applying-to-the-nea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electricliterature.com\/why-electric-literature-isnt-applying-to-the-nea\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Electric Literature Isn’t Applying to the NEA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The NEA\u2019s new compliance requirements are anti-trans. <\/strong>Donate now<\/strong><\/a> to help us raise $15,000 to replace our annual grant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Reader, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Endowment for the Arts has supported Electric Literature since 2016. Beginning in January, nonprofit arts administrators have closely followed Trump\u2019s rash of executive orders, trying to anticipate how they might affect the NEA, a venerated and valuable organization that has been integral to Electric Literature\u2019s work for nearly a decade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, the NEA released new compliance guidelines that, pursuant to an executive order that seeks to \u201crestore biological truth to the federal government,\u201d require applicants to certify that their programs do not promote \u201cgender ideology.\u201d Federal funding is contingent on this certification. The ACLU is challenging this requirement, but as of this writing, the case is unresolved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frustrated and uncertain, I found myself, along with other editors, asking insidious questions like, \u201cDoes publishing trans writers constitute promoting gender ideology?\u201d But to pursue this line of questioning is in itself a moral compromise. The term \u201cgender ideology\u201d is not only condescending, but like so much fascistic vocabulary, it is also unintelligible. I may not know what \u201cgender ideology\u201d means, but I do know that Electric Literature stands with trans writers and readers, and will continue to fiercely advocate for their rights, protection, and the full expression of their humanity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This August, HarperCollins will publish Both\/And<\/em><\/a>, an anthology of trans and gender nonconforming writers, edited by EL\u2019s Editor-in-Chief, Denne Michele Norris, who is the first black and openly trans person to helm a major literary publication. This should be obvious but I\u2019ll say it anyway: to agree to the NEA\u2019s compliance guidelines, even while crossing our fingers and holding our noses, would not merely be hypocritical\u2014it would be a betrayal of our staff, contributors, and community. <\/p>\n\n\n