Is it phobic / could I be disciplined for not recognising the TQ+?

I agree again. But isn’t full exclusion signalling intolerance of others ?

speaking only on my own views, I am intolerant of the threats to women, their ability to access vital services provided on a single sex basis and the steady creep towards a system of self ID that would confer little benefit to society (and that only to a tiny, tiny demographic) yet has the potential for wide scale harm.

I am intolerant of the stonewall-led mission creep whereby we’re not to criticise the fetishising of children any longer, because that would be “xx-phobic,” [insert sexual kink of choice] and are told we should ignore the safeguarding lessons we’re supposed to have learnt from decades of painful experience.

I AM tolerant of everybody having EQUAL rights, but I’ve yet to see a real example given where a transitioned man or woman has fewer rights than when they “identified” as their birth sex. I have no problem acknowledging that a person exists, however they choose to live, and good luck to them - as long as they’re as tolerant and respectful of the wider community as they demand of anyone else in it.

But I’m not going to visit a Scientology centre so L Ron Hubbard’s followers can feel validated, nor join events hosted by Storm Front, the Communist Party, Extinction Rebellion or the Tory Party (to name just a few) and would strongly object if my workplace felt it had any right to oblige me to.

No; you can't be expected to be included in every aspect of society just because it makes you feel good about yourself. I can't rock up to the nearest mosque, demand that I be allowed into the prayer hall and then scream intolerance because they won't let a non Muslim woman in. I can't insist on being allowed play on the local under 12s football team because I want to feel included. I understand that there are things that I am excluded from for a host of reasons, and as a grown adult, I accept that fact.

Surely this is the argument that no political affiliation should be brought into the workplace, as you cannot buy into one and support those of those politics without at the same time offending and standing against those of another.

LGBT+ is no longer a politics free, neutral thing, it's sad that's happened but that ship has sailed and Stonewall pulled up the anchor. It should not be a workplace focus any more than any other political party or lobby group.

If they were straight then I'd assume just like other straight people that the event was to celebrate lesbians, gays and bisexual people.

Trans people do not have to be the centre of everyone's attention day in, day out.

I agree again. But isn’t full exclusion signalling intolerance of others ?

@Billi77
I neither know nor care to be perfectly honest. The point I was making is that it is perfectly reasonable to tolerate the existence of others but to disagree with them on a range of things and choose not be involved in their events. I have friends who are from staunchly unionist backgrounds. I'm not. I accept their opinions are different to mine and that we are different in how we identify in relation to nationality and culture, and they are the same with me . That doesn't mean I will be out celebrating the 12th of July, nor am I insisting the Orange Order start a Nationalist group to make me feel included.

I completely agree. But isn’t there also a shred of politics in excluding the T and Q from LGBTQ? How would a trans person interpret the exclusion of the T for example if were rebranded an LGB event?

I recognise the existence of many various groups in society, from religious to politcal; I understand why some people support them but that doesn't mean I have to go on marches to celebrate their existence or to support their political aims.

Oh dear god! Decades on and STILL we are being told to 'be nice'

@Billi77 you might want to stick around and read for yourself what is really discussed her. None of us have ever claimed that trans people do not exist. We all know someone who is trans, have kids who are gender questioning, maybe we even are trans.

We aren't speaking against trans people per se. But we do vehemently oppose Self ID and any male trying to inveigle himself into female spaces.

As I said, stick around, read our actual words rather than someone else's translation of them. It can't hurt you.

I'm a lesbian and would not be attending said event.....nor wouldi be forced into doing so.

Ooh, yes. Of course if they do discriminate against you for refusing to go along to this event, you are covered by the belief section of the EA 2010.

Do you ’recognize’ the I and A?

I'd probably ask for a list of all the discrimation prevention events, eg the Disability inclusion day, the Women's inclusion day, the Religious inclusion day; etc etc etc so that you can check your diary and see which ones you can support depending on diary commitments.

I might, depending on what sort of organisation and what type of boss, say fairly casually: 'I'd prefer not to be involved. I don't believe in the whole gender ideology thing. Have you thought about this properly? Gender ideology is a belief system and I don't really think it's appropriate for an employer to be encouraging a particular belief system. In fact I'm pretty sure the Equality Act covers belief and the right of people not to believe. Have you considered how the Christian and Jewish and Muslim employees might feel about this?' And then I'd smile and walk away.

Lots of types of people exist; it doesn't mean we have to affirm their beliefs, their behaviour, agree with their beliefs, accept their beliefs etc. We are free to reject their beliefs and consider them harmful. They are not fairies - they don't die if people fail to believe in them.

OP could be a lesbian for all you know, Billi77.

Excellent advice from @Mandodari.

Exactly.
I do not understand gender at all but I don't think I have the right to say anyone should be excluded or included. LGB groups deserve the same respect obviously.

You don’t have to support self ID but please acknowledge that these people do exist, always have and always will. It won’t make you any less GC.

Just tell them that you regard gender ID as complete fucking bollocks and that hell will freeze over before I submit to performative virtue signalling cuntitude. Maybe tone it down a bit, but you get the drift.

I would enquire if this is being done for Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index points or to embellish somebody's CV to strengthen their role as an ally or SW Diversity Champion.

It might be reasonable to ask about the employer's history of supporting event days for other protected characteristics such as disabilities.

Event run by whom, based on which politics? Is it impartial, and to what end? Or is it a political rally for a specific view? In which case yes, there's a lot of concern around homophobia, removal of LGB rights and definitions, exclusion of LGB people from their own events and organisations unless they are politically partisan and willing to basically stop being homosexual.

I'd check. It's then a question of whether you feel safe and able to raise some questions like 'I'm aware of come controversy here and the concerns of many LGB people, and it would be easy to innocently go along with something without question which in fact may be supporting homophobia and actively alienating or offensive/distressing to LGB colleagues, and make them feel unable to be out at work, should we do some research into this? Like why Simon Fanshawe's abandoned Stonewall and his explanations of why? And what members of the public might be afraid to use us if we're declaring a political position that for example subordinates and rejects the inclusion and access of women with Autism, women of different faiths and cultures, women who have experienced CSA/DA/DV, lesbian women? Should we be worried about taking a controversial and exclusionary stance as a political position, particularly with court cases in the pipeline that may mean those women sue the living daylights out of us for breaking the law that certain lobbies have misrepresented in their glittery marketing? Or should we focus on being impartial and accessible to all with no affiliations?'

Or if you don't feel safe - and who could blame you, the fear and coercion and intimidation and punishments involved is one of the very nastiest bits of this lovely, happy, 'loving' and 'kind' political agenda and its supporters - then as pp says. I would be unfortunately ill that day. What a pity. Oh dear. Hope you all had a lovely time.

It may eventually dawn on employers that gay and female employees would rather lose a day's pay or actually have a stomach bug than have to face events supposedly lovely and inclusive and celebrating them. And that their customers are going to take note of political bias too.

I would tell them i was brought up with the belief that religion and politics should be kept out of the workplace and would feel the same if they are asking me to take part in something supporting or opposing any political party or if was being asked to attend a talk by any religious group.

Is it during your working hours and being billed as a Team Building Event, or charitable day? In these circumstances it's hard to refuse and I would be in two minds. I might be sick that day.

Why make a big fuss? Just don't go, surely?

Whilst I agree with your logic in that it's a form of politics employees are being brow beated into supporting, assuming it's not mandatory your least risky form of protest is to not be involved.