City workers in a small town in Wisconsin were reportedly instructed to not use red and green decorations this season in an effort to be more “inclusive” and not offend those who don’t celebrate certain holidays.
According to Wisconsin Right Now, officials advised city workers in Wauwatosa, Wis., to not decorate using the iconic color scheme while decorating official city spaces for the upcoming holiday season, but instead opt for “more neutral and inclusive decorations.”
“In our ongoing efforts to foster a more equitable and inclusive community, we believe it is crucial to be considerate of how we decorate public spaces during this season,” read an email that was distributed to city workers, according to the outlet.
The email advised workers against decorating using a red and green color scheme, which is widely associated with Christmas, or any religious themes.
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Employees were encouraged to use a “blue, green and purple” color scheme instead, as well as to mark the winter season with friendly “snow people” (as opposed to gendered “snowmen”).
However, traditional Christmas-style lights and greenery without “specific religious connotations” were given the green light.
In a statement sent via email, Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride confirmed the initial email’s legitimacy and admitted many townspeople have “expressed outrage” over the email sent to city workers.
McBride also explained that the decorating advisory was distributed in response to past criticism and complaints sent in by the public regarding the town’s previous religious holiday displays at official government buildings.
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