An elderly California woman claims she was forced to resign from her volunteer job of 60 years because she asked for clarification on pronoun usage.
Fran Itkoff, 90, the leader of the Lakewood/Long Beach self-help group, said her organization “has not been affiliated with the National MS Society because she did not adhere to diversity, equity, and inclusion guidelines.” It was announced that it would end.” ”
Itkov, who has won multiple awards for her and her husband’s work with organizations, became confused one day when she saw several people signing emails and letters with their names and their chosen pronouns. did.
“I was confused and didn’t know what it was or what it meant,” Itkov said. he told TikTok’s social media account Libs. “I’ve seen some letters with pronouns after people’s names, but I didn’t know what they meant.”
Mr. Itkov started noticing pronouns more often, so he asked one of the representatives of the association what they meant.
However, the 90-year-old could not get a clear answer.
“Finally I was talking to her and I said, ‘What does that mean?’ and I thought I’d ask her to tell me,” Itkov said. “She said it meant ‘all-encompassing,’ but I didn’t know what that meant.”
Mr. Itkoff was confused about how the pronouns “she/her” could be labeled “inclusive” when they refer to women rather than men.
A few days after this conversation, Ms. Itkoff received her “pink slip” on a Friday at 4:58 p.m.
“At the end of the day, at the end of the week, I received an email from her that said, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve been asked to resign from volunteering with the MS Society,'” Itkov claimed.
“The words she said were, you’re not adhering to their diversity, equity and inclusion, so they had to ask her to resign, and she volunteered with the MS Society. It was like, “I can’t be a part of it,” said Itkoff’s daughter, Elle Hamilton.
In a statement, Hamilton said it was ironic that a “90-year-old disabled woman who has been volunteering for over 60 years” was left out.
“When I read that, I was completely shocked,” Itkov said of reading about his firing. “I couldn’t believe it. She had to read it several times to make sure I understood what she was saying.”
Ms. Itkov’s family has received several awards for her work with the MS Society, including her own Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
Itkov’s husband flew to the White House to meet President Jimmy Carter during his tenure after winning the national MS Father of the Year award.
“It’s sad that they’re discriminating against her. MS doesn’t discriminate and it could happen to anyone, but just because you asked to explain what the pronouns are.” And they’re discriminating against trying to help her,” Hamilton added.
Furious, the daughter denounced the association’s entire mission, wondering if the association was too focused on comprehensive discussions and not working to combat MS.
“I don’t know what’s worse if the MS Society focuses on these words and pronouns and loses focus on finding a cure for MS and helping patients,” Hamilton said.
“It’s a sad day.”
Itkov said he will continue to lead the self-help group because “the patients who come to the clinic want to continue.”
The determined volunteer said that as he continues his work, he hopes there is a way to alleviate and rectify the situation between him and society.
The newspaper has contacted the National MS Society for comment.
