However, the social worker objects to the policy as it forces expression against his religious beliefs, as well as the desires of some parents he serves. He has been threatened with demotion and has been discriminatorily denied a religious accommodation, which violates both the First Amendment and Title VII.
Liberty Counsel has formally requested that Clackamas County immediately provide the social worker with a religious exemption to the pronoun policy. They also demand assurances that the county will not retaliate against him or demote him for upholding his religious beliefs by declining to affirm perceived gender identities. Liberty Counsel requested a response from Clackamas County by September 26, 2025.
In June 2025, the social worker met with his supervisors to request an exemption from the pronoun policy that required him to use subjective preferred pronouns, rather than objective pronouns based on sex, regardless of parental desires or his religious beliefs. During the meeting, he expressed that the policy infringed on the fundamental rights of parents to raise their children and discriminated against him for holding sincerely held Christian beliefs.
Despite these concerns, his supervisors showed a lack of concern and have not responded to his subsequent emails on the matter. Instead, his supervisor threatened him with demotion if he did not comply with the pronoun policy and warned of a progressive disciplinary process should the situation continue.
As Liberty Counsel points out, the First Amendment not only guarantees the right to speak freely but also protects the right to refrain from speaking, such as declining to endorse ideological concepts. By compelling the social worker to use preferred names and pronouns, Clackamas County is essentially forcing him to express agreement with beliefs he religiously and politically opposes—something the First Amendment cannot tolerate.
The social worker is simply requesting a religious accommodation to avoid violating his religious beliefs concerning subjective pronouns. Yet, Clackamas County’s refusal, coupled with retaliatory threats of demotion, constitutes adverse actions based on religion, violating Title VII.
Additionally, the social worker has never demonstrated bias or disinterest in serving gender-confused individuals. Therefore, Clackamas County cannot show that granting a religious accommodation would cause undue hardship or justify denying his request lawfully.
Under the First Amendment and Title VII, the social worker’s choice to avoid using subjective pronouns is indisputably protected, Liberty Counsel concluded.
Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver stated, “The First Amendment guarantees the right to speak and the right to not speak. Clackamas County cannot force a social worker to endorse or engage in ideological viewpoints that violate his religious beliefs or freedom of speech. Clackamas County should immediately grant this social worker a religious accommodation and withdraw its unlawful retaliatory threats.”
https://canadafreepress.com/article/171534
