The U.S. government, under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, has directed several federal agencies to remove gender pronouns from email signatures and review government forms to replace the term “gender” with “sex.” This measure is part of a broader effort to eliminate references to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in official documents.
The order has drawn both criticism and support.
Some human rights advocates and federal employees have expressed concern about the impact of these measures on inclusion and respect for gender diversity.
The U.S. government has ordered several federal agencies to remove gender pronouns from email signatures and dismantle programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This directive is based on executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, which seek to eliminate “gender ideology” from government communications and programs.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) instructed agencies to remove gender references from websites, contracts, and emails, setting a deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31. Additionally, it ordered the dissolution of employee resource groups and the termination of grants and contracts related to gender issues.
As a result, several federal websites were modified or taken offline.
For example, the websites of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Census Bureau were temporarily unavailable, displaying error messages. Other agencies, such as the Bureau of Prisons, changed terminology on their pages, replacing “gender” with “sex” and removing lists of transgender inmates.
At the State Department, Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy, acting as Deputy Under Secretary for Management, sent an internal email stating that employee cooperation was “essential” to implementing these changes. Staff were asked to remove any gender pronouns from their email signatures before 5:00 p.m. on Friday. They were also instructed to review and modify training materials, forms, and plans, as well as remove public materials related to gender issues.
These measures have raised concerns among federal employees and human rights advocates, who fear they could undermine inclusion and LGBTQ+ rights. Some employees have expressed worry about potential retaliation if they fail to comply with the directives, including disciplinary action or termination.
Image: The Guardian
