Federal employees across various agencies have been instructed to exclude pronouns from their email signatures by the end of the week. This directive is in line with executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, aiming to diminish diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within governmental operations.
Internal communications show the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alongside the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), received specific instructions on this matter. Employees were told to modify their email signatures to comply with policy changes by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday.
Similar directives were issued to the Department of Transportation (DOT), coinciding with the agency's operational challenges concerning the D.C. plane mishap near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This order required federal application communications like government grant applications to adhere to the revised guidelines, stripping them of pronouns.
The Department of Energy also received notification, emphasizing compliance with the executive order which calls for eliminating DEI-related language from official federal discourses and publications. While it's unclear if all federal bodies have received such an order, the move marks a clear shift in administrative priorities regarding diversity and equity.
These instructions stem from policies initiated when Trump took office, focusing on removing what his administration terms 'radical and wasteful DEI programs,' and reinforcing so-called 'biological truth within the federal scope.' The changes are another step in the administration's move to restrict DEI efforts, branding them as unnecessary expenditures.
Affected employees expressed various reactions, with some exhibiting reluctance. One long-term CDC staffer, who requested anonymity, voiced displeasure over the newfound restrictions on email customization, noting it as an unprecedented move in their tenure of over ten years.
Moreover, the Office of Personnel Management has advised governmental bodies to review their email systems, such as Outlook, to deactivate any features that prompt users to assign pronouns.
This latest development reflects broader efforts to reshape federal policy regarding identity expression, driving significant implications for workplace culture and bureaucratic communications. As federal agencies adjust to these mandates, debate continues around the impacts on diversity initiatives and employee freedom.