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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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A former employee of the Texas Real Estate Commission, a state agency, said he was fired from his job after refusing to remove pronouns from his email signature.
Frank Zamora, 32, told the Austin American-Statesman that he viewed the directive, which came from Governor Greg Abbott, as "part of a broader effort to make LGBT+ people feel unwelcome in the state of Texas."
Newsweek contacted TREC for comment on Thursday via online inquiry form outside regular office hours.
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Why It Matters
Issues around transgender rights have received national attention in recent years, with proponents arguing that they are human rights and critics arguing that they can infringe on women's rights. Upon returning to office on January 20, President Donald Trump signed a number of executive orders related to the issue.
One order says the U.S. government recognizes only two sexes: "male" and "female." Another bars most transgender personnel from the military, while another bars transgender athletes from women's sports at federally funded schools. Many of Trump's orders have received legal challenges, highlighting the divide over trans rights.
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What To Know
On January 30, Abbott wrote a letter to state agencies saying, "The State of Texas recognizes only two sexes—male and female." He also referenced Trump's "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" executive order, which adopted the same policy on the federal level.
The governor instructed agency chairs and directors to "follow state and federal law" and recognize "the biological reality that there are only two sexes."
In response, an email obtained by the Austin American-Statesman showed, TREC Director Chelsea Buchholtz told employees, "The agency is modifying its employee email signature block template by removing preferred pronouns."
Zamora, who worked as an educator at TREC, said that after he complained, he received three options from his superiors: Remove the pronouns, resign or be fired. After refusing to remove the pronouns, he was subsequently fired for "failure to comply with an agency directive and failure to comply with agency policy and procedure."
According to Zamora's most recent performance review, he had "exceeded expectations" and was "an essential member of the division."
What People Are Saying
Speaking to the Austin American-Statesman about Texas' policy on transgender rights, Frank Zamora said: "I could not, in good conscience, contribute to those actions in any way—no matter how small."
He added: "There have been multiple occasions when I stop and I ask myself, 'Is this really happening?' I mean, I'm talking about pronouns. That someone should be fired over it, that it's become this politicized and this weaponized, is not only ridiculous, but a little bit laughable."
Summer Mandell, a TREC spokesperson, told the Austin American-Statesman: "As a Texas state agency within the executive branch, we follow Gov. Abbott's directives."
Governor Greg Abbott shared the Austin American-Statesman article on X, formerly Twitter, writing: "A Texas state employee refused to remove pronouns from email signature. He was fired before noon."
What Happens Next
Zamora said he wasn't planning to take legal action over his firing and hoped to get a new job that better aligned with his values.
Meanwhile, Trump's executive orders continue to face challenges in federal courts.
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