Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has withdrawn a plan which would see Gardaí forced to use a person’s preferred gender pronouns in the workplace.
Last month Gript outlined how a Garda policy has been forwarded around “Gender Identity In The Workplace,” which require officers and staff to use a person’s preferred transgender pronouns – e.g. referring to a biological male as “she” and “her” if the person requested it.
The “mandatory” plan emphasised that “strict compliance” with the policy was required of all staff.
Sources within An Garda Síochána have expressed anger and fear over a new policy mandating the use of preferred pronouns, citing a lack of consultation and fear of reprisals if they do not engage in what they view as "compelled speech."https://t.co/qCDO2l6oDg
— gript (@griptmedia) March 18, 2023
This led to sources within An Garda Síochána expressing anger and fear to Gript over the proposal, citing a lack of consultation and fear of reprisals if they failed to engage in what they viewed as “compelled speech.”
Last week, when asked by Gript if Garda officers could be punished for refusing to comply with the policy, Harris replied that such a situation could “escalate” to disciplinary action.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris tells Gript that if Garda officers use the wrong gender pronouns, it could "escalate" to disciplinary action. pic.twitter.com/EXElEEISx1
— gript (@griptmedia) March 28, 2023
This prompted significant backlash, with the video in question accruing over 185,000 views on Twitter.
Reacting to the Commissioner’s comments, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) branded the remarks “unfair,” and called for the policy to be reversed.
“AGSI have also raised serious concerns with the internal consultation process and will be seeking formal withdrawal of the recent directive on gender identity in the workplace, owing to the lack of consultation and awareness,” AGSI General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham had said on Monday.
“Especially in light of the recent comments by the Garda Commissioner that the misgendering of a person cold lead to discipline.”
The Garda Commissioner has withdrawn a directive to gardaí on gender identity in the workplace.https://t.co/wlqodOfG2C
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 4, 2023
However, the Garda Commissioner has now reportedly dropped the plan ahead of the 45th annual conference of the AGSI, which he will be addressing this week.