A manager of a childcare centre in Texas has been fired after she refused to call a girl a boy based on the request of parents.
Madeline Kirksey, a Christian who worked as a manager at Children's Lighthouse Learning Center in Katy, Texas, until late last month, said she was fired along with a co-worker because of the incident, Christian News Network reported.
The parents of a six-year-old girl requested the centre to start referring to her as a boy and gave them a new name to use. In addition, they also cut the girl's hair for her to look like a boy.
The centre approved the request, but Kirksey did not feel comfortable with it. She told the centre that other parents should know about it, adding that she was concerned about speaking on transgender matters to other children at the centre.
She observed that the girl was also having issues with her gender.
"One day, she wanted to be a girl [and] the next day she wanted to be a boy. The other kids are confused as well, calling her a boy and she would start screaming, 'I'm not a boy!'" she told Fox26 News.
After that, Kirksey received a termination letter from the centre.
According to the letter, "[w]hen requested by parent and management to call a transgender child by the child's new name, Madeline does not follow instructions." The letter also indicated that she did not tell another worker to leave the game room.
The report said the centre gave out guidelines to workers in handling transgender students.
"The transgender student will tell you how best to handle themselves. Let them tell you what they want, and accommodate their desire for most appropriate pronouns, grouping (boy/girl), etc.," the guidelines read.
It added, "If gendered bathroom and locker room usage is problematic, establish neutral facilities, available to all if possible, that the transgender student can safely use. But allow the transgender student to affiliate according to their own wishes, never by force."
