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

And as with Squoosh, I feel the same about poppy wearing.

Making these things mandatory within an organisation borders on making them meaningless as a gesture.

I found the opposite when I read the interviews. At first glance, I thought they were right, but then there were lots of people who didn't really know him all that well saying "it's private, and I didn't know he was gay, and how do you know he was gay anyway?" but evidence form his close circle that he was out to them, and left the relevent documents to the NT.

Well, haven't RTFT (it's massive) bu the first I've heard of it and the NT have backed down and I think that's a good move. Eve though i would choose to wear the rainbow lanyard, myself, I do believe that this sort of display should always be a matter of choice. It should be encouraged but not mandatory.

The interviews I'm reading quote some of the 10 who disagreed. They felt that the ex benefactor's privacy should be respected. They are motivated by support of who he chose to be (a private person) rather than commenting about gay rights or equality.

Tonnes & Tonnes of projecting on this thread & elsewhere of other Agendas, so it's worth tracking down what the actual dissenters said why not.

Who said that?

Your sexuality, colour , religion whatever don't get you barred from places in the UK! It is illegal.

Sexuality is invisible anyway, assuming you aren't having a shag in the ticket office.

Well I guess those of us who don't fit the demographic the white middle class volunteers approve of can continue to stay away. The volunteers matter more than paying customers.

I don't agree with the increasingly intense enforced poppy wearing so I must apply the same logic here I think.

As I said in my previous post, it's not about the badge - it should be up to the individual whether they wear it or not. It's more the idea that if they don't agree with the cause, they shouldn't have to wear the badge. It should be as simple as "if they don't want to wear the badge, they shouldn't have to wear the badge", but I don't think it's excusable for people to "not agree with the cause" of people being allowed to love whoever they want.

It is interesting that you include the "T" in rights and compare them to women's rights, especially given the threads that have been across the boards.

I wasn't going to spell out the entire acronym minus the "T", and LGB+ rights looks weird. I don't know where I stand on the trans arguments.

As a feminist and a woman I would think it was great that the NT wanted to celebrate women's history. I really would not want a sexist volunteer to wear a badge celebrating a cause he didn't believe in - it would cheapen it for me. And if I felt like the organisation wasn't actually good at supporting women, I may choose not to wear it, as I wouldn't want them to profit from an association with the cause.

'but I think the very fact that we're discussing LGBT+ rights as though it's a charity that you can choose to care about or not'

Not a 'charity', but a cause, like feminism. We aren't saying people can choose whether to care of not, more if displaying symbols in support should be compulsory or indeed even necessary.

I am a volunteer for the nt
Ive no idea either visitors are gay or not. And sexuality is the least interesting thing about a person.

Yes, all this angst bout being treated differently.
The NT volunteers are trying to do their jobs. They probably don't give a rat's arse what your sexuality is.
Times have changed. Nobody cares anymore.
People.need to stop inventing problems where there are none.

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.
I agree.

'I find it so utterly depressing that LGBT+ rights are still seen as a "cause" that people can just shrug their shoulders and say "Well, they can choose whether to support it or not".'

But it's not about it being fine to choose whether or not gay people should have equality. It's about having the choice whether or not to wear a specific badge in a specific context. And not wearing the badge doesn't mean you don't believe in that equality.

ovaries
It's not about choosing to support or not support.

I can be pro gay rights without displaying a symbol of my personal views.

Not only that, but as many people have said on these boards there are issues with the way some trans activist groups are being that actually erodes women's rights. These things are never straightforward and reducing it to 'wear a badge or we'll assume you are oppressive' isn't the way to have meaningful and productive discussions about equality.

I think it's awful
That people are being told what their views should be. Once again dictatorship in the name of liberalism! You have the right to be diverse so long as your diversity fits in neatly defined boxes. Oh the irony

I don't think anyone should be forced to wear rainbow badges or poppies. They are a choice and completely unrelated to the person doing their job.

OvariesBeforeBrovaries
I find it so utterly depressing that LGBT+ rights are still seen as a "cause" that people can just shrug their shoulders and say "Well, they can choose whether to support it or not". Same for women's rights.

It is interesting that you include the "T" in rights and compare them to women's rights, especially given the threads that have been across the boards.

No Antigonads it's not just you.

I find it so utterly depressing that LGBT+ rights are still seen as a "cause" that people can just shrug their shoulders and say "Well, they can choose whether to support it or not". Same for women's rights.

This is a bigger issue than the badges we're discussing here, and I agree that they should have the right to choose whether to wear them or not (however when visitors walk in and find 10% of volunteers/staff not wearing the badges, they'll draw their own conclusions about the viewpoints of those volunteers), but I think the very fact that we're discussing LGBT+ rights as though it's a charity that you can choose to care about or not is proof that campaigns like this and things like Pride are still very much necessary.

I'd have happily picked a rainbow badge and lanyard up in that situation, Maisy. But there are plenty of things I wouldn't be happy to support in that way.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel
The choice matters here. And genuine choice, not choice with pressure. And with zero assumption that someone not wearing one is some kind of out of date bigot.

A simple 'if you'd like to show your support for this cause then some badges and lanyards are available in the staff room' is all that's needed.

I would think 90% of people in a place like a National Trust property being given the choice and choosing to wear the rainbow badge makes a much more effective statement about equality than 100% being forced to wear it.

ironing You're missing the point.

People can believe in equality without wanting to wear a badge that has nothing to do with their job.

I've not worn any pride badge ever. Am I some raging homophobe? No.

Wearing or not wearing a badge is as much of a sign of social caring/not caring as whether you stick the latest charity issue border on your Facebook profile or sharing an image saying #prayforparis.

It's all for show and a bit "look at us we are so liberal, but not liberal enough to allow adults to decide if they wish to wear social and political symbols".

'Forcing them to pin on a badge for a few days to show support for equality, oh the hardship'
Stop being sarcastic and recognise in this country you shouldn't get dictated to with who or what you support.