What happes when two different protected characteristics come into conflict?

53 replies

Comefromaway · 22/03/2019 12:21

Apologies for putting this here as it isn't really a feminist issue but I thought it held some parallels with trans issues.

In the theatre world at the moment there is a big controversy over an acress who was cast in The Colour Purple theatre production. She is the daughter of an evangelist preacher and someone dug up some social media posts from a few years ago where she stated that she did not believe that homosexuality was right despite it being legal. According to reports she was offered the chance to redact her statement, refused and has now been sacked. She intends to sue for religious discrimination.

Has there been such a legal precedent before. I knwo there have been cases where courts have (rightly) found that it is discrimination to refuse services on religious grounds to gay people (eg bed and breakfast and gay wedding cake) but I'm wondering how this will all play out. As far as I am aware the actress hasn't tried to stir up hatred or refused to work with any gay colleagues (though I only know what has been reported. Everyone is saying she is homophobic but is simply holding those (religious) views and publishing them on social media a grounds for dismissal?

OP posts:

OhHolyJesus · 22/03/2019 12:45

Thanks for sharing OP, it's a key question that is well worth asking, not simply for the trans ideology debate but for me it's useful for me to consider where my own lines are drawn.

I detest homophobia and racism but I find the trans ideology debate very different a very different issue, with very obvious similarities such as what a person believes.

I got a bit of push back from an old friend recently on my frequent sharing of articles in FB in support of women's rights and against the trans ideology and it also made me ask myself some important questions, including how tolerant am I of an opposite view.

Original poster

Comefromaway · 22/03/2019 12:40

It will be interesting if it does go to employment tribunal what conclusion will be made. How do the courts police thought and which characteristic takes precedent?

I personally believe she has her bible wrong though as in her post she said she doesn't beleive it is possible to be born gay whereas the bible clearly talks about "eunachs". I used to sing at a black evangelical church and they had a similar extreme stance on it but even then it was a well if you have those "urges" you have to live a celibate life and not act on them rather than you can't be born like that.

I do think it was a very odd choice of role to accept considering her beliefs. I do wonder how much of it now is what she actually still thinks and how much is fear of ostrcisation by her family/church?

OP posts:

MeAgainAgain · 22/03/2019 12:32

If one of the people has dick they usually win.

Other than that
In your case
I think it's fair enough. Theatre as an industry has a much greater proportion of gay people than other roles.
She's basically said that as a group she doesn't like them. She thinks there is something wrong with gay people. She believes they are immoral or something like that.
In a job where she will have loads of gay people working with her, it's not appropriate.
If she had kept her thoughts to herself that'd be different, but she's written them down and pressed send.

What if someone said they just didn't feel it was OK to be Jewish. Job at the Jewish Newspaper is the thing for them?

With employment it's not the same as providing goods and services. Employers have a reputation to protect, and also need to take care that their employees can feel comfortable at work etc.

People have been sacked for all sorts of extreme beliefs. Believing homosexuality is wrong is to my mind, in UK USA etc, a pretty extreme belief these days and not one that we want in society or that does anything but harm.

Religious differences -are protected for the personal probs but as soon as they start impacting on others that's different.

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