House Committee Probes Federal Funding for University’s Transgender ‘MyGender’ Doll Program

The House Education and Workforce Committee, led by Rep. Tim Walberg, is investigating the University of Minnesota’s MyGender Dolls program to determine if federal money was used. Walberg’s letter to Kristen Mark of the Eli Coleman Institute questions the source of funding, especially any Elementary and Secondary Education Act grants, and whether the dolls could be placed in public elementary classrooms. The dolls, designed for children ages 4-10 and featuring removable genitalia, were announced in the university’s 2024 annual report but omitted from the 2025 report, raising transparency concerns.

The committee has asked for a full list of federal funding sources, grant applications, award letters, communications with state education officials, and documentation on parental consent requirements. It also seeks evidence of any minor involvement in the project’s development. The university’s project lead, professor Dianne Berg, is on sabbatical and has not responded. The deadline for the committee’s request is Sept. 14.