To think wtaf is happening in our work place.

[Deadbudgie]

I work in a large firm. It has many different interest groups, Muslim soc, Christian soc, women’s network, mental health group, disability group, lgbt group, carers group, scuba diving soc.. the list goes on. Now mostly,unless you’re part of a group you don’t really notice their existence, you might get invited via a firm wide email to celebrate eid with a samosa by the Muslim society, told about talks by mental health group, told about a city carol concert by Christian soc etc. But the leader of the lgbt group is on a mission to either out everyone or make sure they are a visible straight supporter. If you’re in his team and don’t clear the decks for pride you might as well hand in your resignation, everyone has been given rainbow lanyards to wear security passes on. Rainbow flags adorn every notice board. Now I really don’t care who any of my colleagues are in a relationship with, the Christian soc manages to go about it’s business without insisting everyone attaches a crucifix to their lanyard, no sign of mental health symbols either (and I suspect this has a wider relevance to the employee population. Aibu to think all this forced showing of support has no place in the work place and if you tried it with anything else you would be sacked!

Fuck, where do you work?

I can't imagine all this shit being brought into the workforce? As it stands, my workplace has brought in a 'charitable foundation' in order to become better as a place to work apparently. I have very private notions about who I give charity to based on life experiences but we're all now forced to donate to this fucking shit.

but we're all now forced to donate to this fucking shit.

How and by whom?

All my charity goes in hand to homeless people on the street outside my office. I see them day in day out, the exact same ones. One woman, clearly on heroin or something that makes her face very red. She looks utterly worn out. I don't care that it goes on that shit. That's her shit and should be her choice to make.
Forced charity doesn't work.
I can't believe such a workplace exists unless you're a student or something ?

By our employer.

By having a bucket at reception that we 'can' donate to. But you very visibly don't if you don't.

How do they ‘force’ you? Explain.

By having a bucket at reception that we 'can' donate to. But you very visibly don't if you don't.

That’s in no way being ‘forced’.

Yes it is being forced. Receptionist watches over it avidly. She knows exactly who puts in what. It's horrible. The charities are obscure ones too. Like Cambridge poor or something. I don't fucking live in Cambridge. There are 4 homeless people on my 200 yard walk to my office. I will give to them. They watch the shoes pass by every day. They will get my charity. And I'll appear uncharitable at work. Hey ho.

And the receptionist is the biggest gossip in the place.

I'm atheist but lol at the people who love to bang on about Christian privelege with that tiny hint of Christianity is bad thrown in. Try reading a book or educating yourself about something you haven't heard of before. Heard of Coptic Christians? Egyptian women and kids raped and murdered for their faith? Assyrians in Iraq and Syria and Turkey? Armenian genocide? Or are these things all non existent because their not a) mainstream enough or b) Christianity is a boring white religion that deserves everything it gets?

And the receptionist is the biggest gossip in the place.

So a woman is gossiping. Big deal. You’re still not being forced.

Ever heard of the word 'COERCION'?

Backforgood has got this one

Showing your support for their rights is no different to showing your support for women’s rights, disabled persons rights or ethnic minority persons rights.

If I were to wear a lanyard for everyone whose rights I respect, I'd never be able to lift my head. Not wearing a particular coloured lanyard does not mean that someone is against something, it just means they aren't wearing a lanyard. Why is everything about virtue signalling now, rather than people just living their life quietly and respecting the views of others? Do I need to put a banner outside my house to say that I respect the rights of minority groups, or could I just live my life without being an arsehole to anyone? Which one makes me a better person?

But the thing is it’s not normalising it is it? If these things were normalising you would have all sexualitoes being treated the same which in my mind they are. What I find ironic on this thread by certain posters is the assertation Christians aren’t persecuted and presumably they think Muslims lead hassle free lives too. To say religion is a choice is to fundamentally misunderstand people’s faith. @anouk given your vitriolic diatribe about Christians it would appear we also should be including a crucifix on the lanyards to know who Christmas are safe talking to, something to how who is safe for Muslims to talk to and Jews (prob not a JC supporter) and so the list goes on. Given the response of some when I’ve mentioned mental heath struggles maybe everyone should be forced to wear a badge saying they support those struggling with mental health. Or we could accept all this actually has no place in the work place

@midnite, perfect post. Why can’t we be more bill and ted and just be excellent to each other!

We have the rainbow lanyards at work and I am happy to wear one. As a white, straight female who has followed a traditional path of marrying and having children, I am aware I haven't had the challenges of those in the lgbt community. We have quite a few colleagues who are openly gay and I feel so happy to work somewhere people are comfortable about being open about it. I work at a university and I like the fact it's inclusive and diverse.

But the thing is it’s not normalising it is it? If these things were normalising you would have all sexualitoes being treated the same which in my mind they are

OP, it's lovely that you think this, but we don't all live in your mind. You are speaking from a position of straight privilege and LGBT people have different experiences from yours.

Or we could accept all this actually has no place in the work place

So everyone should pretend to be straight at work because it makes you more comfortable? Straight people say things that reveal they're straight all the time at work - you don't notice it because it's the default, but LGBT 'outsiders' are painfully aware of it.

That's what the rainbow flags are for - so that gay people know they can relax around you and be themselves without fucking up their careers.

Having read both 'sides', maybe the simple answer here is choice. You don't 'have to' wear one, and you shouldn't be told 'you cant'. The whole thing is a little ironic really, given that freedom of expression and individuality alongside reduction of persecution is core to all groups involved....!

People should be tolerant of eachother. It should be acceptable to go to work and discuss your same sex partner etc. Wearing a lanyard or not isn’t going to change this. Any form of discrimination against any person or grouping should be treated very seriously. Including discriminating against employees, who choose not to wear the lanyard on a daily basis.

I understand why this guy is doing it. The irony is that whilst forcing everyone to virtue signal that they support LGBT, he is supressing their individual right to be themselves.

I get wearing the lanyard for one day. But long term? No.

Forcing others to do as you wish is how subjugation and oppression of other people start. Just one example is how Christianity and therefore society subjugated women in the centuries following Jesus. Women played a central part in the story and at the time were equal to men. Yet over the centuries the role women played has been airbrushed out of history until even now 2000 years on this has not been rectified. And women are still being subjugated.

I therefore struggle to support one group when it is to the detriment of another. This is what your employer should be more aware of.

You're not alone, OP. Maybe we should all form a no-purpose society...

There’s an LGBT network and an Allies network where I work. I am a member of the Allies network and wear a rainbow lanyard. But no one is forced to wear one or take part in Pride or anything. I am straight but I believe everyone has the right to be themselves in their workplace.

I'd be happy to wear a rainbow lanyard if it represented support of LGB. But T has now been added on. My issue with the T is that it seems to now include people who throw on a dress one day a week and are now a transgender woman and can join women's groups etc.
To me LGBT seems to all about the T.
If I was offered a rainbow lanyard when I already had a perfectly good one I would refuse it on the grounds that I don't take unnecessary items due to environmental concerns.

If I was offered a rainbow lanyard when I already had a perfectly good one I would refuse it on the grounds that I don't take unnecessary items due to environmental concerns.

I have a beautiful lanyard that was a special gift last year. One of the nicest gifts I have ever received. So someone telling me that I needed to swap my perfectly functional and special lanyard for a rainbow one would be refused. Not because I don't support LGB rights, but because I love the one I already own. Not everything needs to be turned into a political statement.