The U.S. Air Force has reversed its policy banning employees from sharing their pronouns in emails and other professional communications, The Hill reported. The force’s reversal is based on a 2023 law, but it’s unclear if other military branches will also reverse their own similar bans.

In a February 4 memo, Air Force officials told the workforce to remove pronouns in compliance with the president’s executive order ending all federal recognition of gender identity.

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The president’s order directed all federal government departments and agencies to “remove all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology.” 

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However, the Air Force reversed its pronoun ban after learning of a provision in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, a congressional law dictating the armed forces’ operational budgets, stating that the U.S. defense secretary “may not require or prohibit a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense to identify the gender or personal pronouns of such member or employee in any official correspondence of the Department.”

In an April 2 memo, the Air Force reversed its ban on pronouns in professional communications. Military members and civilian workers may now include their personal pronouns in email signature blocks, memoranda, letters, papers, social media, and official websites, The Hill reported.

The memo overturning the ban also notes that, due to court challenges against the president’s order, military and civilian members who have had their gender markers changed do not have to wear uniforms or use facilities associated with the opposite gender.

However, to comply with the president’s order, the Air Force directed its workforce to end any programs, trainings, and public-facing materials that “promote” gender identity. It also ordered the removal of any mention of “gender” from all application forms.

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