A subject of intense local chatter.......Pronouns, free speech, and the First Amendment
Some public universities and other government entities have punished or threatened to punish individuals who refuse to use others’ specified pronouns. Below, we explore the serious compelled speech issues raised by pronoun mandates.
Do pronoun mandates raise First Amendment and free speech issues?
Yes. When the government mandates what pronouns individuals must use when referring to others, it threatens to force some people to say things that contradict their beliefs. Any policy compelling the use of certain pronouns intrudes on the right to private conscience and, when it comes from the government, violates the First Amendment.
Government-compelled speech is an especially pernicious abuse of power. MORE AT Pronouns, free speech, and the First Amendment | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (thefire.org)
Some public universities and other government entities have punished or threatened to punish individuals who refuse to use others’ specified pronouns. Below, we explore the serious compelled speech issues raised by pronoun mandates.
Do pronoun mandates raise First Amendment and free speech issues?
Yes. When the government mandates what pronouns individuals must use when referring to others, it threatens to force some people to say things that contradict their beliefs. Any policy compelling the use of certain pronouns intrudes on the right to private conscience and, when it comes from the government, violates the First Amendment.
Government-compelled speech is an especially pernicious abuse of power. MORE AT Pronouns, free speech, and the First Amendment | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (thefire.org)