OPM final rule declines to adopt gender-neutral drafting as "inconsistent with the Administration's policy regarding gender ideology"

In an otherwise unrelated final rule on recruitment and relocation incentive waiver authority, OPM withdraws gender-neutral language revisions it had itself proposed for 5 CFR 575.102, 575.110(f), 575.111(e)-(f), 575.210(f), and 575.211(e)-(f). The rule states: "This final rule does not adopt the proposed changes to several sections of the regulations to use gender neutral language," because "[t]he proposed changes were not adopted because they are inconsistent with the Administration's policy regarding gender ideology," citing Executive Order 14168, 90 FR 8615. This is the clearest available instance of an agency reversing a drafting choice for no reason other than the EO — the pronoun revision was already proposed, uncontroversial, and had no programmatic effect either way.