According to the new director of the Office of Special Counsel, which oversees complaints of discrimination in hiring and firing in the federal government, while I still can’t be fired or demoted for gay behaviors, I can now be fired or demoted simply for being gay, and there’s no one to whom I can appeal.

Gene and Mac both refer today to the unbelievable (my boss, a straight woman, actually called it “unfuckingbelievable” when I showed her the article) position taken by Scott Bloch of the OSC that the list of prohibited personnel actions of the Civil Service Reform Act does not, in fact, cover discrimination based on sexual orientation. I first blogged about the OSC’s planned review of this policy, and its removal of all references to sexual orientation as a protected class from its website and written materials, several weeks ago.

More bizarrely, though, Bloch goes on to say that conduct and sexual orientation are not the same thing (ok, I’ll buy that, but look at where he goes with it next…), but that conduct potentially is covered while orientation is not; you cannot be fired for being in a gay pride parade, but you can be fired for being gay. This twisted premise, though, seems to suggest that he also should be forced to interpret the Act as protecting those who exhibit womanly or Black behavior, but not those who are, in fact, women or Black.

Jeff, dear, I know you’re itching to head back to California, but I tell you, in all seriousness, Canada just is looking better on a daily basis.