Mariwether v Hartrop is a case about competing narratives, competing versions of the truth. Is biology a social construct? Can a man become a woman by identifying as a woman? Can a woman become a man by identifying as a man? Or is biology (and faith) real and inform us that gender is fixed at birth regardless of personal choice and identity?
Meriwther believed his version of the truth. Is his version a reasonable understanding of reality? If so, can his government employer compel him to say things he believes are untrue? To borrow from 1984, does he have the right to hold to his belief that 2 plus 2 make 4? Or must he say 2 plus 2 make 5?
If he had been a coward, it would have been so easy to use compelled pronouns and protect his job and his livelihood. But he chose to be a courageous leader, and declined to say something he believed to be untrue.
Here is a way to think about it. If you shared Meriwether's views about biology and gender, what would you do if you were at a meeting of student group leaders, and the person who called the meeting said "Let's start this meeting by introducing ourselves and sharing our pronouns?" Would you set aside what you believe to be true and share your pronouns to appease those who hold the competing narrative about biology and gender? Would you sacrifice what you believe to be true in order to be "nice"? Does being nice require you to appear to embrace a narrative you believe is untrue?
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