Civil servants told non-binary people have ‘existed for centuries’ and urged to add pronouns to emails

Civil servants were told that transgender and non-binary have been part of world history for centuries and urged to put their pronouns in their emails, GB News can reveal.

Officials in the Cabinet Office were sent a memo last month celebrating Transgender Day of Remembrance, described as “a significant day” to remember people killed by “acts of anti-transgender violence”.

The email was sent by the Government Commercial Function LGBT and Gender networks, which are groups which represent civil servants who work on procurement to discuss LGBT issues.

Maya Forstater, CEO of human-rights charity Sex Matters, told GB News: “By promoting activities linked to Transgender Day of Remembrance [TDoR] the Government Commercial Function is giving credence to the false and dangerous idea that identifying as trans puts someone at risk of dying because of “transphobia”.”

“TDoR events perpetuate the myth that identifying as transgender is a risk factor for experiencing violent crime or being murdered – a claim that is unsupported by evidence.”

“Organisers often also falsely imply there is a link between identifying as trans and increased risk of suicide.”

She continued: “Earlier this year the government suicide tsar, Professor Louis Appleby, warned that such claims breach guidelines about safe reporting of suicide, since they may increase suicidal ideation and even copycat self-harm among vulnerable people.”

“No civil service body should be promoting events based on extreme trans activist claims.”

The memo claimed that “Transgender and non-binary people have existed for centuries among cultures across the globe”.

Civil servants were told that “there are a number of ways you can support Transgender Day of Remembrance to help raise awareness and support the transgender community.”

These included “adding pronouns to your email signature” which it is claimed “enables people to share their gender identities and adds validation to the gender they identify with”.

Anna McGovern, a journalist and political commentator, said: “The government’s recent directive to civil servants regarding Transgender Day of Remembrance raises serious concerns about overreach, ideological conformity, and the erosion of personal freedoms.”

“The suggestion that civil servants add pronouns to their email signatures is a clear example of this.”

“It’s one thing to encourage respect and tolerance in the workplace, but it’s quite another to mandate the adoption of an ideological position on something as personal as gender identity.”

“Forcing people to publicly align with this narrative undermines the principles of free speech and personal choice,” she added.

“Civil servants should not be coerced into endorsing political or social ideologies simply by doing their jobs.”

“Encouraging civil servants to advocate for specific social movements is a dangerous precedent – it’s not the role of the government to engage in social engineering.”

“The government must remain focused on its core duties: serving the public impartially, not pushing a divisive agenda.”

Officials were also urged to “share stories and experiences of transgender individuals; support transgender organisations; advocate for change; amplify voices; learn and educate yourself and others about transgender issues, terminology, and the importance of respecting gender identity”.

Charlie Bentley-Astor, a detransitioner and political commentator, said: “The idea that “transgender and non-binary people have existed for centuries…across the globe” is a lie concocted by historically illiterate transgender rights activists to bequeath their New Age religion with an ancient legacy.”

“It is a tenet of their gender Gnosticism – a mythology that has been achieved not through the loss of historical knowledge, but through the fabrication of historical knowledge.”

“The ambition is to construe themselves as an oppressed and immortal people journeying through time and destined to be free, as other liberated minorities, rather than the products of a self-conscious media age.”

“All opponents, then, are to be cast as villains “on the wrong side of history” to silence and discriminate against them is, therefore, justifiable.”

A government spokesperson said: “Civil servants are not expected to include their pronouns in email signatures; this is an entirely personal and voluntary decision with no cost to the taxpayer.

“All civil servants must abide by rules around objectivity and impartiality when carrying out work in diversity and inclusion.”