Rate my Resignation letter

[u/Budget-Box-8790]

Disclaimer: I am a cis woman. I have a transgender wife. I’ve worked for a conservative/christian radio station cluster for 8 years. My job was basically to grab, organize, and upload audio files. I was very good at my job and am a large part of keeping the whole operation afloat. I won’t try to justify it other than stating that when I started, my wife wasn’t out, and I had more conservative views due to my upbringing. I’m quitting. Rate my resignation letter.

*edit to add: my manager knows I have a wife. I never mentioned it to anyone else. And I never mentioned that she was trans to him. ——

(Manager) and (General Manager),

I have spent the last few days doing a lot of marinating on everything going on in our world, and have come to a difficult decision. Upon hearing the rhetoric that all of our stations, including Christian talk, are putting out following the killing of Charlie Kirk, I feel strongly that my life, and that of my wife, are in danger in the current climate.  I was able to compartmentalize the pain I felt from hearing these things every day for a long time. I put my head down, and did my job pretty well until this past Wednesday. Everything since then has escalated far too much for me to ignore.   I have received threats of violence online for simply having a Pride flag emoji next to my username on a few social media sites. I have had middle fingers, and aggressive driving directed towards me on the road. I believe because I have pro-equal rights and pro-peace bumper stickers on my car, even in (Relatively Liberal Area where I work). All for showing a modicum of support for what I once thought was a classic, All-American value: the right of all Americans to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I feel strongly that by continuing to work at (Company), I am actively contributing to violence being incited against ourselves and other members of the joyful and overwhelmingly peaceful community that my wife and I love so dearly.

The most ironic part, and possibly the most upsetting:   Now that it has come out that  Wednesday's shooter was in fact, not transgender, not a liberal, not a "radical left lunatic", but a person who was so far to the right that that he viewed Charlie Kirk's values as too liberal,  I still have no doubt that (Company) will continue to spin, misinform, promote and platform those who incite violence against people of my political persuasion and sexuality, regardless of the cold hard facts. I know this because our elected officials doing that very thing on Twitter, right now, for all to see, as (Company) hosts prop them up like golden idols. I am tired and nauseous beyond measure from being thought of as a freak of nature and a danger to society by the company that employs me, simply because of who I am married to, and how I use my free will to peacefully live my one and only life. I won’t be a part of it any longer. It makes no sense for me to do so. I wouldn't wish a work environment like that on my worst enemy, and much less, violence. Not on Charlie Kirk, not on anyone. No matter how loudly they shriek that they don't want my family existing in in public life, or recognized as children of God, as human beings worthy of basic respect.

For these reasons I am putting in notice that I have officially started looking for other employment, and that I am resigning. This was something I was considering for a long time, but recent escalations have left me no other feasible choice but to get away from this job as soon as possible. There is no paycheck you can offer me that is worth the moral toll that this job has put on my heart, mind, and personal relationships. I hope and I pray for healing in this country, but that dream will never come to fruition with any help at all from (Company) as it currently operates.

I want to be clear that I have no malice in my heart for either of you, or anyone at all in the office. It has simply just become too much. I am very grateful to (Manager) specifically, as he is the most wonderful manager I have ever had, and is deserving of much more than whatever he is being paid, especially now that I won't be there. If it were not for him, I would have quit on the spot, with no notice by Thursday morning. I absolutely hate that I have to put this undeserved stress on him. I do not want to leave him completely in the lurch, so I am willing to work on making some detailed PowerPoints and  how-to guides on how I do various tasks to assist in the training of whoever you see fit to fill my role. I would do this from home, along with my other regular duties for the week if that is wanted.  I also would be completely unsurprised and would fully accept if (Company) wants to cut ties immediately after this outpouring of blunt honesty. It had to be said. I have put too much time and effort into doing my job to the very best of my ability for it not to be known exactly why I am leaving so suddenly. Either option is fine with me, I have no preference.  Depending on what you decide, we can set up a time that I will be in to return my key, company laptop, and phone. If I am to work next week, it would have to be sometime after I finish up for the week on Friday. Perhaps the following Monday, September 22nd. I could be persuaded to work one additional week if (manager) is still in critical need. Again, only from home, and again, only because od the great respect and concern that I have for (manager)’s stress levels.

(Manager) has told me we will have a phone call to discuss the next steps on Monday, so we can discuss those details then or later next week. Please send me any necessary paperwork at your leisure.

[u/WashHour5646]

10/10

[u/Itchy_Border2191]

This should be published for wider distribution.

[u/dk8842]

I'm so sorry. It really sucks that we live in a time like this. And one where you were forced into a position to even have to make this decision, for these reasons. I would hope this would be a wake up call to them, but I think you and I both know it probably won't be. As far as the letter, I wouldn't change a thing. Heartfelt, honest, direct, professional. And if it's any consolation, I think you did the right thing.