Support Christina Watson's Fight for Religious Freedom

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A Call for Support: Defending Faith, Freedom, and Fairness in DFW.

Hello, my name is Christina Watson, and I’m reaching out during one of the most challenging seasons of my life. For three years, I proudly served as a Senior Product Designer at Intuit, living out the company’s core value of “integrity without compromise.” As a Christian and patriotic American, I believe true integrity means standing firm in one’s principles, even when doing so is costly.

In August 2023, I took a stand for a colleague, Sam Nesbitt, whose termination deeply troubled me. Sam, like me, was fired for refusing to comply with Intuit’s preferred pronoun usage policy, a directive that conflicted with his Christian faith. Sam had openly shared his beliefs with fellow Christians at work, but instead of fostering an environment of inclusion, Intuit used intrusive monitoring to deem his actions harmful. Deleted his posts, and asked him to let Akasha Perez Senior Employee Relations Business Partner review them before posting. She just happens to be a California bar-certified attorney. Ultimately he would not agree to the policy of preferred pronouns and is no longer at Intuit.

I initiated a petition advocating for Sam’s reinstatement, arguing that Intuit’s actions were an unjust misuse of power against those with sincerely held religious beliefs. While I hoped to shine a light on this growing issue, my efforts came at a personal cost. Shortly after raising my concerns and championing Sam’s case, I found myself under review for the same pronoun policy I opposed. Within weeks, I was terminated for standing by my convictions and advocating for fairness.

This is not just about me or Sam—it’s about protecting the fundamental right to live and work according to one’s deeply held beliefs without fear of retribution. We’ve seen this story before with Daniel's three friends brought before Nebuchadnezzar and commanded to bow or face the fire. Well, I’ve been fired for standing for my faith.

This is an issue at the highest levels for people of faith inside Intuit. Even the executive sponsor has turned down speaking engagements just so he would not be called on to speak on this issue of preferred pronouns fearing retribution:

"They wanted me to go to... a panel discussion... and the requested topic for us to talk about was, um, trans and devout. And I'm like, um, you know, I can decline to come, right? I’m sorry. I have to wash my cat. I can't be there." - Erik Nogle

Even before I left Erik Nogle Executive Sponsor of the Christian Network said he could see how this was an issue for Christians:

"The policy... could be used to do what you said in your note, which is to try and trip people up, to force people into using their pronouns... tying you into linguistic knots, and then basically turning you in... That's not what I want for any of us." - Erik Nogle

A post merely asking for help was turned around on me and used against me, even bringing me under scrutiny for discrimination:

“In the area of diversity and inclusion where does the Christian faith have room to adhere to their faith when the company policy has adopted an ideology that is not accepted by teachings of the Bible... How can we advocate for inclusivity for people of sound Biblical beliefs and have those adversely affected reinstated?” - Christina Watson
"I think, you know, people are at least heightened in their reactions to you based on, um, most likely not the posts in ICN, but the posts in the diversity and inclusion channel, right?" - Erik Nogle

Erik gave me some advice to let things "blow over":

"The safest path, assuming that's what you want... is to basically let this blow over, um, and basically let it kind of die down." - Erik Nogle

On the company's environment and policies:

"We don't work for a Christian company. We basically have a lot of freedoms here, but it's not unlimited. And frankly, we are a very LGBT-friendly environment, to say the least. And so, anything that's perceived as going against any of that... is going to get high alert." - Erik Nogle

On forced speech and policy issues:

"Non-usage of their said pronouns would constitute being outside of the policy and can be a terminable offense” - Akasha Perez
“I think they're gonna have trouble defending that one legally, because it's forced speech." - Erik Nogle

On the broader implications for Christian employees:

"Is this the beginning of persecution at Intuit? Maybe. I hope not. We're doing a lot of good, honestly... but we're a thorn in their side based on their worldview and their adamant request... their adamant command to agree to their worldview, which is something I can't do." - Erik Nogle

Erik mentioned he would not say anything that would hurt anyone, which infers that upholding Christian values has been implicated as harming others:

“Right. Right. And so I'm just dealing with it on a whole bunch of different levels. But you know, none of them are a surprise. This is one of the biggest wedge issues that is going to be used as a, as a club And I'm hopeful that it's not right away for Intuit, but I don't think it's gonna stay away forever And so, you know, for me You know, I can tolerate it Yeah, because I won't say anything to hurt anybody.” - Erik Nogle
“You say you, or their name. You don't use their pronouns. It's when you're talking about someone that you use pronouns. And you can't,“ - Erik Nogle

Erik Nogle is the Executive Sponsor of the Christian Network at Intuit and he didn’t have the freedom to bring his whole self to work. If faced with a direct line of questioning he said he would use their preferred name, which wasn’t a religious accommodation Akasha Perez, Sasan K. Goodarzi CEO of Intuit, Lara Strauss Vice President, People Experience, Laura Fennell, Executive Vice President, Chief People & Places Officer or any other Executive member of Intuit was willing to give to me.

“But, you know, if I'm forced, you know, I'm going to use Their preferred name, but I'm not going to be forced into using their pronouns, sorry. Um, you know, and so, but it's just unlikely that you're going to use a pronoun when you're talking directly to somebody. You don't ever say she to a she that you're talking with.” - Erik Nogle
“If your religious beliefs prevent you from doing that, um, or you believe that your religious beliefs would prevent you from doing that, then that may be a conflict, but we, we can't accommodate a religious belief that contradicts our policies. And that's a consistent standpoint that we've taken in other, uh, avenues, like with the vaccination policy, for example. So I hope that that answers your question, but the policy is very clearly written that, uh, the intention. Misuse of chosen names or refusal to use chosen names and pronouns would constitute a violation of our code and conduct and ethics. I'm happy to point you to that policy directly if you want to see it. Um, and so the short answer to your question was if you refuse to use them, then yes, that would be a violation of our policy and could be a terminable offense.” - Akasha Perez

I’ve been told to hide Intuit from my resume by recruiters, friends, and colleagues. I have nothing to hide. What they did to me and others is shameful and I refuse to hide. They won’t give me access to work files, asked me not to speak to Intuit employees, and nope can’t even get a reference for future employers. Intuit has damaged my reputation and career. They don’t care. Is the lesson here to not say anything? Well, I refuse that notion and I refuse the shame they’ve associated with my termination.

A Personal Battle Against Discrimination

In 2022, when Intuit implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, I respectfully requested a religious accommodation based on my deeply held beliefs. The religious accommodation was denied and only a temporary stay of employment that came with significant restrictions. Unlike colleagues with vaccinations, I was prohibited from working on-site, attending events, or engaging face-to-face with my peers and leadership. This unequal treatment made it clear that employees with religious exemptions were being marginalized.

Then, in August 2023, Intuit introduced a pronoun policy requiring employees to use others’ requested preferred pronouns, a practice that conflicted with my faith. As someone who believes that God determines whether we are male or female at conception, I sought a reasonable accommodation. Unfortunately, my request was denied. I was told directly that the company would not accommodate any belief that contradicted their policies. Less than three weeks later—while I was on FMLA leave for stress-related health conditions caused by this situation—I was terminated.

The consequences of these actions have been devastating. Losing my job was not just a professional setback—it caused real financial harm, personal hardship, and emotional distress. I’ve faced stigma, isolation, and a profound sense of injustice, all because I chose to live out my faith and values.

Why This Matters

This is more than a personal story—it’s a fight for religious freedom and equality. Our Constitution protects the right to live and work according to our beliefs without fear of retaliation. Diversity and inclusion should mean respecting all perspectives, including those shaped by faith. Policies that claim to prevent harm can, in fact, cause real harm when they marginalize individuals like me.

Despite my challenges, I remain steadfast in my commitment to these principles. But I cannot do this alone. Legal battles are costly, and I am also struggling to meet basic needs like housing and everyday necessities.

How You Can Help

I’m asking for your support to help me raise the funds necessary to:

Cover legal fees to continue my fight for justice.
Secure stable housing for myself and my family.
Meet essential needs during this time of transition.

Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference. Please become a prayer partner and share my story. Even if you have a lead around job openings or referrals that you want to share all is welcomed. Your generosity will not only help me personally but will also stand as a testament to the importance of defending religious freedom and workplace equality for all.

Closing Thoughts

I believe that faith, freedom, and integrity are worth standing up for, even when the cost is high. By supporting this cause, you’re not just helping me—you’re making a statement that every individual deserves to be treated with respect and fairness, no matter their beliefs.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my story. Together, we can make a difference.

Keep up with the case https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/51513705/Watson_v_Intuit,_Inc

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