To think this isn’t appropriate work conversation?

[AllIDoIsFloat]

Sat at work and on my lunch break while two colleagues discuss that they are anti-LGBT. In its entirety. They believe lesbians and gay people are going against “gods will” and that trans people are just mentally unwell and the surgery should be illegal.

Now I’m somewhat gender critical myself but certainly don’t believe that the surgery should be illegal. And in any event, I don’t think it’s appropriate for work? They don’t know what other people are going through, how they or their family identify. It just makes me sad that they think this is appropriate. I’m

Ok op so what are you going to do? Or are you just going to debate it on mumsnet?

and you were the only one who overheard?

Why do they deserve a quiet word when they had no issue saying that in front of others?

Most jobs have rules about such things, a code of conduct. It should not need to be said not to express such views at work.

My first concern would be stopping the conversation. The only way to do that is to step in and say something.

If your first concern is them being disciplined then maybe you think differently.

But the point of all this is to not create an unwelcomng or unpleasant work environment and the best way to do that is to speak up in the moment. Not make notes and complain behind their backs after the event some time later.

No I don't. It's an opinion.

And I'm someone who's struggled with gender identity all my life and been involved in many same sex relationships (though 'lgbt' label makes me cringe).

Edit: wayward apostrophe.

I’m going to report it to my manager.

we’re in an open plan office so I don’t know if Anyone else heard

As I've said in PP, I'm someone who's struggled with gender identity all my life and been in many same sex relationships. Their opinions are pretty standard Christian views, and not in themselves hateful. It doesn't offend me.

I would not get involved.

I do not agree with them but I do not think it is inappropriate any more you saying they agree with it
Who are you to decide what people are allowed to say
Stopping people expressing an opinion is what happened in Nazi Germany it is what happened now in China and Russia and Iran
I assume you consider yourself to be liberal yes you want to dictate what other people say and think
I am liberal and accept that people are entitled to express opinions that I do not agree with
I and hubby own our own company - we have employees who regularly debate and disagree vehemently on many topics
No way is having an opinion a disciplinary matter

Completely inappropriate. My son is gay and i’d certainly have had something to say to them directly. Definitely report this upwards.

But the point of all this is to not create an unwelcomng or unpleasant work environment and the best way to do that is to speak up in the moment.

Not for everyone. It’s easy to tell people to speak up at the time when for some it is not that easy especially if they belong to said groups and others are not aware.

These colleagues already have made it an unpleasant workplace. Unless I missed it, nowhere does OP say that they have been taking notes against colleagues for such behaviour.

That's odd. DH has his own company, and I think if his employees were regularly debating and vehemently disagreeing on many topics he'd say 'I'm running a business doing x, not the student debating society'.

You are aware you have responsibilities under the equality wrt to protected characteristics and pro-actively preventing harassment?

I know, at least under Mao small business owners would only be subjected to public beatings (not always to the death); and in Hitlers Germany you'd have your business expropriated before being sent to die in a camp for having the wrong religious or political beliefs. But that's nought compared to being a small businessperson in the modern UK 🙄.

Personally, whilst people are entitled to their views, I think expressing these particular views is inappropriate in a work setting where others can hear. OP, YANBU.

I think comparing me to a Nazi is a bit of a stretch.

I think it’s fine to have whatever views you want. But I think you need to moderate when and how you express them. They don’t know who in this office may be gay, lesbian, bi, trans etc. I don’t think work is an appropriate place to say this type of thing.

Some opinions do not belong in the workplace. People have rights to opinions but when it comes to many workplaces, you obviously cannot have such conversations there for pretty obvious reasons and why would you need to express such opinions at work in the first place.

Why even have that as a topic of conversation considering all of many topics in the world one can talk about at work?

Well said.

So as a gay person you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in that working environment?

good for you but I think you are in a tiny minority

Not based on what they are reported to have said, no. There's nothing inherently hateful in what they said.

(And I didn't say I identify as gay).

They sound awful, wirh terribly outdated views and if it was me, I would have called them out without hesitation.

That being said, and I am only curious. If you and a colleague were having the flip side of that conversation and those colleagues over heard you and found your side offensive, would you expect them to report you? Its interesting

Billions of people agree with them

Swap the word 'gay' for 'black'. Is it racist? Yes. Therefore it's homophobic.

People don't choose to be gay. People choose to be religious bigots though.

Report them! Bigots xx

I would have reported that conversation, I shoukd think it breaches your employer’s code of conduct.

The thing is one view is bigoted and hateful. Being kind about gay people isn’t

I have.