The National Institutes of Health (NIH) just published a guideline outlining how professionals should use gender pronouns to “affirm gender identity” for themselves and colleagues.
The guideline, issued by the NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office, warns that intentionally using the wrong pronouns is “equivalent to harassment.”
Fox News Digital reviewed the “Gender Pronouns & Their Use in Workplace Communications” guide, which provides more than 40 different pronoun examples and offers guidance on avoiding pronoun “mistakes” in the workplace.
To create inclusive, affirming, and welcoming workplaces, the guide lists several “mistakes” to avoid when using pronouns.
For example, the guide claims professionals should not describe pronouns as “preferred” or “chosen,” as doing so allegedly implies that gender identity is a preference or choice, which the NIH claims it is not.
The guide also discourages “performative allyship,” wherein people superficially demonstrate devotion to a cause. This includes a hypothetical scenario in which an employer requires all employees to publicly share their pronouns.
However, the guide acknowledges that some employees may not want to disclose their pronouns, as they are not ready to “come out” and reveal their gender identity.
Requiring all employees to use pronouns could be perceived as performative allyship, particularly if employees are uncertain or unable to articulate the importance of correct pronoun usage.
Established under former President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015, the Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office coordinates sexual and gender minority (SGM)–related research and activities by working directly with NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices.
The NIH told Fox News Digital that the guide was developed in part to integrate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles across the agency and the broader biomedical and health science research enterprise.
The agency hopes that this resource will foster inclusive and respectful workplaces for sexual and gender minority employees.
According to the guide, gender pronouns are a way for individuals to identify themselves beyond using their names.
Pronouns are important not only for everyday communication but also for conveying and affirming gender identity, especially for SGM communities.
The NIH is encouraging professionals to disclose their pronouns in the workplace by adding them to email signatures or initiating conversations with personal pronouns to make colleagues more comfortable disclosing their own and preventing so called misgendering.
The guide also addresses Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees from workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII also protects employees against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
The guide states that intentional refusal to use someone’s correct pronouns is equivalent to harassment and a violation of civil rights.
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, board director of Do No Harm and a retired professor and former associate dean for curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, examined the NIH guide and expressed disappointment that the prestigious research institute is now focusing on gender ideology as a primary concern.
Goldfarb questioned whether it is appropriate for a research institution to provide advice on workplace etiquette and what expertise justifies this new role for the agency.
In a statement, the NIH said it is “committed to enhancing the diversity of the biomedical and behavioral research workforce” internally and in institutions it funds “to be inclusive and accessible for individuals of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, languages, abilities, socioeconomic statuses, and geographic regions.”
Critics argue that the NIH should focus primarily on scientific research rather than delving into workplace etiquette and gender ideology.
However, the NIH maintains that promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are essential aspects of fostering a more effective and innovative research environment.