A member of Oregon’s Health Authority (OHA) on best practices and policies in mental health said they identify as a ‘turtle’ during a state panel meeting.
JD Holt, who also goes by ‘JD Terrapin’ on Facebook, announced that they use ‘they, them and turtle’ for their preferred pronouns during a December meeting.
‘Hello everybody, it’s JD. I use they, them and turtle for my pronouns. I’m in the Springfield-Eugene area and I get to be part of the council,’ Holt said during a virtual advisory council meeting.
Holt is one of roughly two dozen ‘consumers’ on the OHA’s Consumer Advisory Council.
The council, established by administrative statute, is appointed by OHA Director Sejal Hathi, who was appointed by the state’s Democratic Governor, Tina Kotek.
According to a website that documents the ongoing list of non-binary genders, Gender Wiki, ‘turtlegender,’ sometimes called ‘tortoisegender,’ is ‘a xenogender identity in which one feels a gendered connection to turtles.’
‘One may feel their gender is replaced by a “turtle,” or their gender is best described with the use of turtles,’ the site reads.
Holt has also been found to have promoted ‘anarchist’ causes and encouraged people to obstruct immigration enforcement actions, according to a review of their public Facebook posts by Fox News Digital.
JD Holt, who also goes by ‘JD Terrapin’ on Facebook , announced that they use ‘they, them and turtle’ for their preferred pronouns during a December OHA meeting
‘Hello everybody, it’s JD. I use they, them and turtle for my pronouns. I’m in the Springfield-Eugene area and I get to be part of the council,’ Holt said during a virtual advisory council meeting (pictured)
The council, established by administrative statute, is appointed by OHA Director Sejal Hathi (pictured), who was appointed by the state’s Democratic Governor, Tina Kotek
‘WHAT TO DO AT AN ICE CHECKPOINT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE WHITE and/or FEEL THE NEED TO JAM UP THE WORKS,” Holt wrote in a post on January 29.
Their post encouraged people to yell and scream at federal immigration authorities and make their jobs as ‘difficult and uncomfortable’ as possible.
Peculiar behavior is not uncommon at the OHA as at an earlier meeting another member was also heard using unexpected pronouns, introducing themselves as ‘Luke A Shooting Star.’
The OHA, which specializes in managing the state’s health-related programs, said that every member of the Consumer Advisory Council and the perspectives they bring ‘are highly valued.’
‘In following Oregon statute, every member of the Oregon Consumer Advisory Council is someone with lived experience, bring [sic] the voice and experiences of people across the state that have experienced behavioral health challenges,’ OHA spokesperson Amber Shoebridge said In a statement to Fox News Digital.
Responsibilities of the advisory council include the ability to ‘investigate,’ ‘evaluate’ and ‘recommend’ the state’s behavioral health resources.
The OCAC is tasked with developing a working plan with recommendations and goals every year.
The group is also given the authority to establish ‘committees to investigate specific areas of interest related to Behavioral Health services.’
Holt (pictured) has also been found to have promoted ‘anarchist’ causes and encouraged people to obstruct immigration, according to a review of their public Facebook posts
OHA headquarters in Salem, Oregon
State legislators have taken steps to strengthen the council’s role in shaping decisions on mental health service policies, updating the council’s governing rules as recently as last year.
Each council member serves for a term of two years and can only be reelected once, according to the administrative statute establishing the panel.
The committee, whose budget during the 2023-2025 biennium stood at an astounding $35.8 billion, said appointing members to the council requires a joint effort between existing members on the council.
The council is made up of a seven-member committee appointed by the council and the director, who ultimately makes the final decision.
The OHA spokesperson added that those selected ‘represent independent, consumer-run organizations, consumer-run advocacy organizations and consumer-operated advisory councils that are active or headquartered in this state.’
