Adhering to the letter of would-be law SF0077, mandating that “The state and its political subdivisions shall not compel or require an employee to refer to another employee using that employee’s preferred pronouns,” Casper, Wyoming activist Britt Boril got just a little bit under state Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tim French last week when Boril started off her public comment on a Thursday afternoon hearing by saying “Thank you Madam Chairman.”
“You can call me Mr Chairman if you want,” responded French, plainly annoyed, to which Boril responded “Well, I cannot be compelled to use your preferred pronouns as you have all voted,” referring to the title of SF0077, the “Compelled Speech Is Not Free Speech Act.”
“Wait a minute, we’re talking about preferred pronouns, a lot of people are… I prefer to be called Chairman French. That’s my preferred pronoun,” French then said. Boril then noted “I know, and you all voted that preferred pronouns cannot be compelled speech,” and began her testimony.