Public servants’ ‘They Day’ campaign to replace ‘he’ and ‘her’

A CAMPAIGN to replace “he” and “her” with the ­gender-neutral pronouns “they” and “them” has been given State Government backing.

Stickers from the They Day campaign video.

THE state government is ­behind a campaign to replace “he” and “her” with the ­gender-neutral pronouns “they” and “them”.

Conservatives and a Christian lobby group have slammed the Andrews Government for allowing state ­resources to be used in the “They Day” campaign.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a professionally shot mini-documentary uploaded to YouTube featuring staff from multiple state government departments advocating the use of gender-neutral terms “they” and “them”.

The documentary is titled as produced “on behalf of Victorian Department of Health and Human Services Pride Network”.

Conservative education commentator and Australian Catholic University research fellow Kevin Donnelly said the video was “bizarre”.

“This is just another ­example of how dominant political correctness is,” Dr Donnelly said. “Ninety-eight per cent of people self-identify as either male or female. Material like this is serving such a small percentage of the population.

“It’s more about political correctness than having any beneficial impact.”

The author of How Political Correctness is Destroying Australia said the video was a disgraceful waste of taxpayers’ money.

But LGBTI groups said they were supportive of the They Day campaign.

Geelong Gender Group ­organiser Pauley Johnson said transphobia was behind those hitting out at the campaign.

“There hasn’t been ­language that’s adequately representative. There is a need for pronouns other than the feminine and masculine pronouns,” she said.

The DHHS video features public servants from departments including education, justice, health, and premier and Cabinet discussing gender identity and language.

Department worker Nicole Lord said in the video: “In Australia with English, we can ­actually unlearn some of our poor behaviour and learn a new way of doing things”.

Joh Neugebauer in the They Day campaign video.

Nicole Lord in the They Day campaign video.

Her colleague Joh Neugebauer said: “You’re making a lot more people comfortable with your language by not going ‘he’ or ‘she’ or assuming based on looks”.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy and Mental Health and Equality Minister Martin Foley both ducked questions.

A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said: “The Pride Network did not receive government or departmental funding for this event or the associated video, and it was not compulsory for staff to attend”.

It is understood the video was produced and edited by a Pride Network member on her own equipment, and filmed in a state government office in Melbourne.

The Australian Christian Lobby hit out at the campaign as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Victorian Director Dan Flynn said the video was “gender-bending nonsense”.

“This is a shocking waste of departmental resources and time which can undoubtedly be put to better use,” Mr Flynn said.

“It’s tragic that the Victorian public service can be used as a vehicle to encourage radical gender theory within the workforce, silencing those who believe in male and female gender.”

Mr Flynn claimed the video was part of a broader ‘They Day’ campaign established in July within the Department of Health and Humans Services.

ACL claimed during ‘They Days’ staff wear stickers featuring their preferred gender pronoun and others are encouraged to refer to them by it.

Phone counselling for LGBTI people and their families and friends is available via QLife on 1800 184 527. Personal help can be accessed via Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Originally published as Public servants’ ‘They Day’ campaign to replace ‘he’ and ‘her’