Recently, the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) submitted a data request to the University of Minnesota (UMN) to determine all sources of funding for their controversial “MyGender Dolls” program, which offers dolls with interchangeable genitalia and reproductive organs for children.
UMN launched the research program in late December 2024, offering to pay parents with “gender diverse children” to play with their dolls along with licensed therapists. To fund for the prototypes and ongoing research program, the University launched a double-match crowdfunding campaign, which has gathered $1,305 out of their $25,000 goal. In the data request, UMLC seeks data regarding sources of funding and all communication with the program managers throughout the last month.
“It’s important to know exactly how the University of Minnesota is able to fund this program, especially while coming so short of their funding goal,” said James Dickey, Senior Counsel at UMLC. “University of Minnesota students, families and taxpayers have the right to know if their money is funding controversial programming aimed at children as young as five years old.”