Sacked for using 'N' word

[Horrace]

I don't know how to copy link sorry but has anyone been following the story of the Lloyd's bank manager who was sacked for asking a relevant question in a so called anti racism training session by his employers but in his question he used the full 'N' word.
His question I believe was how would he be expected to deal with black employees or customers speaking to each other using that word.
The trainer was so offended by the word, she had to take 5 days off work. However, he got sacked.
He has since been awarded £500,00 but no apology from Lloyd's and no job back.
As far as we know, the ridiculous incompetent trainer is still employed.

I am close to this story but afraid to say how.
But will say that I'm losing sleep and furious more and more at this bank.

But if you ban people from using the word even when they are discussing why the word should not be used, I think you may be acting against your own interests

It appears to be only white people's interests which are considered to be important on this thread.

I, for one, believe that trash TV shows should definitely be used as a guide to someone running a serious company and deciding who to employ.

I'm black and never use the N word. Never.

If I need to refer to it, I call it the N word. Everyone is aware of what that is, doesn't need spelling out. I also never feel the need to use homophobic or misogynistic words either.

I also never hear other black people using it in a professional environment, so I wonder if this question was really that important or relevant.

Unfortunately there is a certain subgroup of white people, either because they love rap or because they are racist, who find every opportunity to bring the word up, either to feel cool or as part of a thinly veiled microaggression.

But when I talk to my friends – and as you can imagine a good many are white, middle-aged and male – we all agree that is the worst thing you can be right now. You are bottom of everything.”

How can anyone think that white men are at the bottom? How stupid have you got to be to think it never mind say it aloud. What a fucking dickhead! The only men I’ve known that think like this have a wide variety of problematic views and I bet this man does too.

Why do white people want to say the word? What is it about that word that makes any white person think it's ok to say?

And fyi not all black people use it either. It's a fucking racist word and we all know it.

Exactly. I think we all know it's racist. I don't like it being used by anyone.

For those that say the word should never be used without exceptions by white people, more that the original employment tribunal didn't censor the word when quoting Carl, and it was also used in full when it was used in the allegations against him at disciplinary.

I'm personally in the 'context is everything' club. I don't swear much, but if in a work context I need to quote someone, then I do.

Exactly.

I'd say that someone delivering training on racism that was so upset to hear the N word is not able able to do their job...I mean she took 5 days sick leave so lm assuming she was so 'shook up' she was unable to competently do her job...ie incompetent.
That's like being a firefighter but leaving coz it was a bit warm, or a midwife not wanting to hear a woman screaming and flashing her vag!
So glad the panel saw common sense

Why?

There is no context in which to use the full word when 'the N word' would suffise. If this was the equivalent to something deemed antisemitic then I imagine it would not be minimised in the way it has on this thread. Think of people complaining of being 'triggered' by ceasefire\ pro-Palestine protests (!!). The connotations the N word has is so vile and offensive-- not only to black and brown people, but I write as someone who is white and aware of my privilege and country's colonial history- I'm surprised this man felt it appropriate and necessary to use the full word. Though I personally and professionally detest the overuse of the term 'safe space' and would opt for 'safer space' and set clear boundaries.

I also worked with young people (interfaith workshops) and I witnessed my colleagues tolerate what (in any other context) would may be deemed Islamophobic or antisemitic questions, which we framed as 'learning moments., Though if expect more from a workshop with professionals in a work context. At least check: can I use the word or shall I refer to it as...? Workshop leaders are not immune and whilst it may seem disproportionate to take five days off, I've no idea what was going on for this person, and I'm willing to bet she\ he would have a very different story to tell.

Isn't the power of the word in the context - it's not the word itself - otherwise nobody could use it, black or white. It's not like a word that has power in itself and can never be uttered.

that's why it's considered ok to say it if youre black as presumably you're using it in an 'ironic'way that doesn't play on power difference.

But given that context is what gives the word it's power someone quoting it in a race seminar, while asking about how to deal with people using the word, is an obvious indicator that the word in that context isn't being meant as a slur, so it doesn't have its racial overtones.

i also hate the double standards. it arses me off that it's fine for black kids particularly in rap culture to throw the n word around but it's also fine for those same kids - including males - to sing songs which reference to whores and bitches. It seems anyone can slag off women.

Indeed! I don”t know any black people that use that word in everyday conversation, let alone in the workplace…

Would you call an Asian person a P*?

Would you call an Italian a W**?

You wouldn't, and you know why. If your answer is yes, then you’re a dick.

Thanks for explaining how you addressed it with your DC, I will follow the same approach.

I am struggling to determine if you’re taking the piss or not.

I live in Streatham, have done for thirty years. Please tell me exactly where you were hanging out that you heard the N-word constantly? I’m intrigued.

I'm struggling with why it upsets you that black kids can use the n word, and say bitch?

Any boys being derogatory is a shitty thing. White rappers often say misogynistic things.

Does it upset you more when black kids say it, and if so why?

I feel like those are two separate issues unless you are saying that if they can say bitch, you want to say the n word?

I need you to walk me through this.

It seems anyone can slag off women

That doesn't make it alright for people to slag off black people!

What a shock that the guy in question just happened to be a Conservative counsellor (what are the odds!), who proceeded to then make a ridiculous “white middle class men are bottom of everything” rant.

@2024GarlicCloves

We are talking about, due to widespread historical usage and connotations, literally the most offensive word in the English language. There are 1000s of other “unpleasant but fine words” which, although bad, weren’t used for 200 odd years to dehumanise an entire race of people as they were denied their rights and basic freedoms. This really isn’t a noble free speech “I don’t like banning words” issue.

@Horrace

He got awarded how 🤔 much ???

It's eye 👁 watering ridiculous amount of money too 💰 that's what...

Height of Capitalism bollox,

Following the American litigation monetary compensation nonsense,
to make a show of massive fuck you to raising awareness of diversity welfare issues,

God what a depressing time in history we are currently living at in so many different ways,

There was no need for him to use the N word in a diversity training like that ever..

He's not a black Rapper, !

He was a fair skinned dude just taking his chances to be faux concerned you know 😟 to ask a question knowingly with a very pointed emotionally loaded minefield word to seem like he was much more intellectual than he really is,

Why is it in Capitalism society we degrade privitol values in the pursuit of chasing the wonga money all the time,???

Awarding this amount of money in this case,

even severe huge money laundering crime cases that hit the news
this crime in the courts is awarded far higher prison sentences, than cases of murders.

Capalitist societies are all cooked screwed up...

When I was at work a lot of the training used to focus on self-fulfilling prophecies, that if you called someone something for a long time then they would eventually become that thing.

It’s hardly surprising that once the focus shifted in the early noughties from ‘let’s all get along’ to ‘it’s all this groups fault and you are all -ists and -phobes’ that we started to see a rise in this behaviour.

@thiswillbedisplayed

What a 🤨 susprise it was a Tory Councillor who said that..!!!

@thiswillbedisplayed

Thanks for enlightening saying about that,
i didn't know about that fact...