UNITED KINGDOM, July 10, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – A doctor who has worked for 26 years with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has been “sacked” for refusing to use transgendered patients’ incorrect, “preferred” pronouns.

The treatment of the 55-year-old father of four who believes that sex is biological and not a matter of personal preference raises questions about the chilling effect that pro-LGBT policies of government agencies have on freedom of speech, especially when it comes to Christians.

Multiple reports from UK media indicate that Dr. David Mackereth was “deemed to be ‘unfit to work’ after he said he would refuse to identify patients by their preferred gender.”

Mackereth had sought a new position within NHS as a disability assessor for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). While training for his new job, Mackereth came under scrutiny for his reluctance to use patient’s preferred pronouns in written reports.

The DWP said in an email that his refusal to do so “could be considered harassment as defined by the 2010 Equality Act.”

The Equality Act identifies those undergo or who propose to undergo gender reassignment are part of a protected class. Failure to use preferred pronouns is interpreted as unlawful discrimination.

Under ferocious attack

Dr. Mackereth, who is a Christian, worries about what the DWP’s action implies about freedom of speech – and thought – in the UK.

“I’m not attacking the transgender movement. But, I’m defending my right to freedom of speech, and freedom of belief,” said Mackereth, according to the UK Telegraph. “I don’t believe I should be compelled to use a specific pronoun. I am not setting out to upset anyone. But, if upsetting someone can lead to doctors being sacked then, as a society we have to examine where we are going.”

“I said that I had a problem with this. I believe that gender is defined by biology and genetics and that as a Christian the Bible teaches us that God made humans male or female. I could have kept my mouth shut but it was the right time to raise it,” he said.

“By stating what has been believed by mankind for centuries – namely that gender and sex are determined at birth – you can come under ferocious attack,” he continued. “If we are no longer allowed to say that you believe sex and gender are the same and are determined at birth, everyone who holds my views can be sacked on the spot under this Act. I’m not an isolated case.”