Three of the rejected artists are gay and deal with homosexual issues in their work; the fourth, Karen Finley, is an outspoken feminist. The endowment had been under attack since 1989 for funding supposedly "lewd" work. The four rejected artists have continually been singled out by conservatives in the past. The National Campaign for Freedom of Expression along with other groups have rerouted NEA funds and other money to help support and fight for the artists. A spokesperson for the NEA said this would be a direct violation of grant regulations.
The question of content restrictions on use of NEA funds and definitions for "obscenity" are still in court.
Source: Committee For Artists' Rights Archive