- Fran Itkoff, 90, says she was forced to step down from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society because she did not understand what pronouns meant
- Itkoff had volunteered for the nonprofit support group for multiple sclerosis patients for 60 years
- An email from the group accused her of violating the MS Society’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion guidelines
A 90-year-old California woman was fired from her volunteering position at the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society because she ‘did not understand pronouns,’ despite previously winning multiple awards from the nonprofit group.
Fran Itkoff had been volunteering for the MS Society, a nonprofit support group for multiple sclerosis patients, for 60 years before she was removed.
Although her dedication to the MS Society had been recognized over the years, the group recently forced her to step down after she asked what pronouns meant.
‘I was confused. I didn’t know what it was and what it meant,’ Itkoff said of her first reaction when she was asked to use pronouns in her email signature.
Itkoff’s husband, a patient with MS, was running the Long Beach Lakewood MS support group before he died 20 years ago, she said in an interview with the Libs of TikTok.
Itkoff took over her husband’s position and volunteered for the nonprofit organization for the next couple of decades until a representative reached out to her recently.
The representative, who has not been named, reportedly asked Itkoff to use her pronouns, but she did not understand what it meant.
The 90-year-old woman said: ‘I had seen it on a couple of letters that had come in after the person’s name. But I didn’t know what it meant.’
‘So when I finally talked to her, I asked what it meant… And she said that meant they were all inclusive, which didn’t make sense to me.’
‘Because it sounds like you are labeling for females, not males, if you are just putting in she/her.’
A few days later, she received an email accusing her of violating the MS Society’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion guidelines.
‘Unfortunately, based on the situation, we have made the difficult decision to have you step down from your volunteer position, effective immediately,’ the email reads.
Itkoff said: ‘I was completely shocked. I can’t believe… I had to read it a couple of times to see if I’m getting what she said.’
Elle Hamilton, Itkoff’s daughter, said: ‘To me it’s ironic, because they are saying they are inclusive, but they are excluding a 90-year-old disabled woman who has volunteered for 60 years.’
‘And literally the sole purpose was to help the MS patients and find a cure. That’s literally all she does,’ Hamilton added.
The interview with Itkoff has since gone viral on social media, with users tagging the organization and demanding comments and an apology.
One user wrote on X: ‘Are you aware that Fran Itkoff, age 90, a Long Beach, CA, volunteer of 60 years(!) was let go of her duties because she did not understand the reason for the new fashion of adding one’s pronouns to communications?
‘This is ageism, compelled speech, and awfully disappointing. Is your corporate team aware of the message this sends out to patients, donors, sponsors, and of course, your remaining volunteers?’
‘MS is not a political issue. Don’t let it become one for the sake of “inclusivity.” Take care of Fran Itkoff. Apologize, reinstate her with honors, and have a good chat with the representative who let her go,’ the user wrote.
Another person wrote: Not another dollar to the MS Society until they reinstate Fran Itkoff and publicly apologize for their abusive treatment of this 90-year-old dedicated volunteer.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to the MS Society for further information and comments.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
