Aesop wrote a fable, “The Wind and The Sun,” over 2,000 years ago. In the story, the Wind claimed it was stronger than the Sun, so they held a contest to make a traveler remove his coat and scarf.
The Wind blew fiercely, but the man held on tighter. The Sun shone warmly, making the man remove them. The Wind, surprised, admitted it underestimated gentleness. The Sun suggested they work together, creating pleasant weather. The traveler, now comfortable, smiled and continued his journey, teaching that warmth and kindness can be more powerful than force.
I think this lesson is an important one in today’s political climate, where force and control are being prioritized over inclusion and respect.
NPR recently reported that NASA employees are being required to remove pronouns from emails and other applications following an executive order signed by President Trump. The order, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology and Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” calls for federal agencies to eliminate funding for gender ideology.
In response, NASA disabled the ability to add pronouns in Microsoft Outlook and Teams, stating that previously added pronouns would be automatically removed. The agency also mandated a standardized email signature for all employees, banning additional personalization.
This move aligns with broader federal efforts to restrict certain content. NASA employees were directed to remove terms such as “Indigenous people” and “women in leadership” from public websites. Additionally, NASA’s acting administrator had earlier announced the termination of all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, citing concerns over racial division and government spending.
Similar actions have been taken in federal health agencies, with pages and data removed from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites, raising concerns among scientists about lost information. This aligns with the decision by the State Department to stop issuing passports with an “X” gender marker and no longer allowing transgender individuals to change gender markers between “M” and “F.” The “X” option was also removed from online application forms. These changes reflect a growing pattern of erasing identities that don’t conform to outdated, rigid standards.
I have spent my whole life witness to those who would rather see women disappear – both in the straight and gay communities – as well as the continued effort to uphold a white-straight-cis-male-dominant status quo. However, I understand the moral of Aesop’s fable: soft persuasion can sometimes win over the mightiest power.
These desperate conservatives who are trying to change the clocks to display the past will fail. We are here, clutching onto our authentic selves, while those in power bluster their way into what they think is a better future for our country. I say don’t get caught up in their cult-frenzied and toxic spew. Instead, remember what that ancient slave was trying to say – working together with warmth and kindness is what ultimately works. They want us fractured and discouraged, but what they need to see is that their ways don’t work. They will be left behind in their false nostalgia, while we move forward.
Stand up and be the Sun.
