To feel sympathy to the National Trust volunteers at Felbrigg Hall?

Yes I feel sympathy for them
Who the hell decided they MUST wear this badge? Officialdom gone mad.

What the fuck has wearing a badge got to do with equality.

I've said it on other threads and I'll say it again. I am sick to death with hearing about who people choose to have sex with. I don't give a shiney shite where you want to stick your bits as long as you don't do it front of me and don't expect me to be interested in hearing about it.

Is it just me?

Forcing them to pin on a badge for a few days to show support for equality, oh the hardship.

Petty is trying to force people to wear a badge.

I mean for goodness sake you simply pin on a badge. Not a big ask unless you make it one. So incredibly petty

It is an issue. Why should they just suck it up and pin a social/political/charitable symbol on because someone in an office wants to tick their equality box?

I'd take an issue with my employer telling me I must wear a symbol that has zero relevance to be doing my job.

Equality and diversity comes from the way we treat each other, the conversations we have and attempting to make social organisations more inclusive, not making people wear a badge.

Yes we all know how badges are put on. It isn't petty, its their choice. You don't enforce support of organisations on people.
I'd wear it but I can see why people think they shouldn't have to.

I mean for goodness sake you simply pin on a badge. Not a big ask unless you make it one. So incredibly petty.

Trust properties are not always that close - the only ones I can think of are hatchlands and clandon park in Surrey, and the latter is now a burnt out shell. There are also mileage limits for volunteers which makes sense.

Mainly though, people choose a property because the roles there suit them. The next nearest one may not suit.

As I said, no dress code, but I think it only reasonable not to wear anything covered in slogans or logos. Not that I own much like that.

I do wear a poppy at the right time of year, but it isn't compulsory and should not be.

'Yet they can dictate to a nationwide organisation?'
Well no. They can say they should be allowed the freedom of choice to decide whether they want to wear symbols that support any organisation.
As said the NT have u turned so clearly they now agree.

The one thing I'm taking away from this is how much I want a rainbow National Trust badge.

Interesting that all but 10 decided to wear said badges. The badges are no different to wearing a uniform, you don't get to pick and choose in many areas of work. They were for showing support for equality not a cause.Sorry but I think many would draw their own conclusions to everybody but 10 happily wearing a sodding badge to support equality. I think only those against equality would refuse to wear them. I'd happily don any badge that supported equality if my boss told me to, would certainly not refuse or make a fuss. I suspect the vast majority would do the same.

My thoughts are if we're liberal enough to not impose rules around something so incredibly emotive as the Swastika it'd be odd to find rules associated with other badges. But the police aren't allowed to ally themselves with certain groups so I guess badge wearing could be in their conditions.

Yet they can dictate to a nationwide organisation? That could be fun with all sorts of rival views...

Ah right - there are tons around me

Umm, Ripple, I was thinking of milder statements of support for causes than a swastika tbh

'Volunteers probably have other local properties they could help at for that time?'
Again you're missing the point. They shouldn't have to. They should be able to choose what organisations they choose to support, not be dictated to.

@Saucery on an individual basis the badge that springs to mind with much discussion about rules associated with it is the Swastika. Don't think its actually banned though.

Depends what else is around, Bishop. I wouldn't have thought there was any transference in NT properties in my area as they are many miles apart. Norfolk might be different.

We really can't know if he would have been happy with this sort of thing - yes he left his diaries, but at the time the NT would have been unlikely to make his sexuality a focus, so he could have expected it to remain a private matter, at least until more time had passed. I think the argument that the only reason for that thinking is because of the bigotry of the time, that we have moved on, and recognising gay history is important is also pretty persuasive. I just don't know enough yet to know which side I come down on, because it's a complex issue, and it is possible to acknowledge that without being a bigot. It's not just as simple as if you don't wear a badge you're homophobic. A friend of mine doesn't like Pride anymore because it's got too commercial for him and not political enough, so wouldn't want to be part of what he would call 'rainbow washing'. I'm not saying that's why any of the volunteers in question didn't want to wear the badges, but it really isn't as simple as not having a problem with it if you're not homophobic.

That's another point, Saicery. It's one property for one season for a specific reason. Volunteers probably have other local properties they could help at for that time?

Equality isn't 'right on.' This specififc misguided attempt to demonstrate equality was.

Equality isn't 'right-on'. This National Trust campaign is. It is the manner of it and the thinking behind it- it is nothing to do with equality. It is badly thought out, political with a small 'p' and has been pushed by a particular person who has a history of bad decisions like this and who was over-promoted by Blair and Brown.

Since when does the rainbow badge being mandatory in one property mean the principles of equality underpin the whole organisation?

I think it was a misguided attempt to rebrand themselves as 'right on' which backfired massively. As many of us keep pointing out, there are numerous excellent ways to be informative and inclusive (such as creating the many excellent exhibitions currently showing at Various properties.) Getting people to wear a badge isn't one of them. It's naive and ultimately pretty pointless if people are wearing it unwillingly

Since when is equality 'right on'