- The Center Square: Federal employees reportedly told to remove pronouns from email signatures.
- I → (the) speaker/writer
- you → (the) listener/reader, pl. (the) audience
- they → that person, pl. those people
The writer believes that such an idea is quite stupid. In fact, the writer believes that the audience will find this language extremely obtuse. These methods will only cause more pain to the federal employees in question.
Don’t forget pronouns like who, mine, and ours. In fact, here’s a list of >100
Someone should write a script that completely replaces these with BS standins
- Name is Alex/Jordan/Leslie
- Not allowed to clarify gender
How does this hold up against a first amendment test?
Well like any other employee, you can say whatever you like, but you might get fired for it.
I don’t see how the first ammendment applies here.
That said, I think this is a stupid and mean spirited order. It is by design trying to continue the exodus of federal employees while also the tyrannical denial of being able to identify people however they find appropriate for themselves.
Well it’s not a private entity hiring them, it’s the actual govt. Usually the defense is that those are private companies and they can do what they want but that doesn’t apply here
Because their employer is the US Government. The very entity the 1st Amendment protects us from.
Not how this works at all. Do you really believe that an employee can just do or say anything while on the job just because they work for the US government?
Lets take Email for example, because that is what we are talking about here. There are policies about structuring emails. An agency can say: Your name goes at the bottom of every email, followed by your position, and then the Logo of the Agency. If you choose to sign your emails with someone else’s name, from “This is such bullshit department” and a logo you made up, you WILL get disciplined.
Your freedom of speech ends at the door. Outside of work feel free, not at work.
This is just begging for malicious compliance.
You want to eliminate an entire part of speech? Then good luck trying to understand what the fuck my email is trying to say.
In the article it specifies you to remove pronouns from your email signature. Definitely less fertile ground for malicious compliance, but it’s still doable.
End every email body with “For your response, I am referred to using (feminine/masculine/any/whatever) pronouns”
Does the reader want to eliminate an entire part of speech? Then good luck trying to understand what the fuck the writer’s email is trying to say.
Could be fun. I bet ChatGPT could automate it.
Exactly… Maybe have a boilerplate disclaimer at the top of each email that does include pronouns, just explaining that the following email has had all pronouns removed so as to comply with the new rule.
So is it alright to just assume trump is female? The email signature no longer states her preferred pronouns, so I think this is what she wants?
