Mariah Gondeiro of the Freedom Foundation says when Travis Tarpo sent an email explaining his religious convictions would not allow him to comply with the county's transgender pronoun policy, his supervisor at the Clackamas County Health, Housing, and Human Services Department in Oregon threatened to demote him.
The supervisor reportedly warned if there was credible feedback that Tarpo was not complying, he would be removed from the Wraparound Coach role and progressively disciplined.
"Kind of what we're seeing all across the country in government agencies, they are requiring their social workers to follow mandatory pronoun policies," Gondeiro relays. "These policies require employees and social workers and therapists to affirm a child's perceived gender identity regardless of the age, even if it deviates from their parents' desires."
For individuals like Tarpo, this requirement violates religious convictions and constitutional rights.
Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to the county in which Tarpo requests a religious exemption to the requirement and a guarantee that his employer will not demote or otherwise retaliate against him.
The law firm had requested a written response from the department by September 26, but Gondeiro says the county has about two more weeks to decide its next move before a lawsuit is filed to ensure that Tarpo and other social workers are not subject to this type of religious persecution.
