The Trans Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services has caused controversy by issuing a “Pronoun Mandate” for employees. Here’s the story.
New Policy, New Controversy
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has introduced a new policy affecting its 80,000 employees nationwide.
This policy, known as the “Gender Identity and Non-Discrimination Guidance,” requires employees to address their transgender colleagues using their preferred pronouns.
Pro/Noun
The HHS has issued the directive, aimed at enhancing employee rights and protections related to gender identity.
It mandates that all employees should refer to their coworkers by the names and pronouns they use to describe themselves.
Inclusive and Authentic Workspace
The goal is to create an inclusive and authentic workplace environment for everyone, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability status.
You Are Valid
HHS Secretary Andrea Palm emphasized the importance of acknowledging people’s self-identifications.
She affirmed, “Who you are and who you know yourself to be is valid.”
Religious Exemptions?
It remains uncertain how this mandate will accommodate individuals with religious beliefs that conflict with certain pronoun usage.
The directive does not explicitly address this aspect, leaving questions about religious freedoms unanswered.
Important Step
HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Rachel Levine, a self-proclaimed transgender woman, stressed the significance of providing equal protections for all HHS employees, including transgender and nonbinary individuals.
This mandate is designed to create a workplace environment where everyone feels valued and protected.
Welcoming Workspace
Admiral Levine urged every HHS employee to contribute to a welcoming workplace.
She emphasized that each person can make a positive difference in enhancing the sense of inclusion among their coworkers.
Compelling Speech
Former director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights, Roger Severino, expressed concerns about the HHS policy.
He suggested that the agency is compelling speech, effectively prioritizing ideology over science and evidence.
Priorities Right?
Severino also voiced fears that this mandate might be used to target individuals with strong religious convictions, particularly Christians, stating ““It absolutely will [lead to targeting Christians] because the [Biden] administration has made it abundantly clear that it prioritizes gender ideology over free speech and religious freedom rights.”
First Amendment Rights
Severino emphasized that, under the First Amendment, the HHS cannot force individuals to speak untruths or adopt a state-approved ideology as their own.
He stated that people should be prepared to take legal action to protect their free speech and religious liberty rights.
Defend Your Faith
Severino also suggested that individuals with religious beliefs should submit requests for religious accommodations to the HHS and be ready to defend their faith against potential challenges.
“Not Permitted To Lie”
The HHS’s “Pronoun Mandate” has ignited discussions about free speech, religious freedom, and inclusivity in the workplace online.
One commenter posted “As a federal government employee, we are not permitted to lie on government documents, regardless of policy. That said, addressing someone on an official email as a gender they are not, is a lie.”
Not a Faith Issue
Another poster said simply “It is not a faith issue, it’s a truth issue, science issue, mental health issue.”
Did I Miss Something?
Others however have been supportive of the “Pronoun Mandate”, with one user commenting “It looks like they are outlining protections and to create a safe working environment for employees who decide to transition.
Did I miss something? Are you calling for hostility against fellow employees?”
Does It Matter?
Some commenters seemed more pragmatic, with one highly rated post reading “I’m not so sure it’s going to matter either way in the coming months.”
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The post Trans Health Guru Drops “Pronoun Mandate” Bombshell – “It Is Not a Faith Issue, It’s a Truth Issue, Science Issue, Mental Health Issue” first appeared on Career Step Up
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sabrina Bracher. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
