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

@phoenixrosehere

Just out of interest - what topics are on the list that can't be discussed.

In the staff handbook. We've updated our staff handbook recently but we don't have a list of topics that can't be discussed.

shall I start one? 😉

Rachel Reeves generally
Sadiq Khan
Anyone who disagrees with any views of J K Rowling,
Supreme Court ruling on nhs nurses, Forsater case,
Post Office miscarriage of justice.......

thinks of others to add to the list....,

"conversations such as this are not suitable for the workplace".

Hmmm.

No thanks. Not for me. I like discussing all issues. Even sensitive ones. Particularly sensitive ones.

Comes to work. I had a courgette biryani last night.

I take offence at that. Courgettes have feelings.

Today I will be identifying as a Minion. Tomorrow a Smurf.

"I take offence at that" ......

Yes indeed JC.
So how do you strike the balance?

Depends what the workplace polices are. If you accept the employment contract then you should abide by the staff handbook. The alternative I guess is to NOT accept the job offer and to continue your work search?

Until you find an employer whose ethos, policies, etc you are comfortable with?

What an insufferable grass up.
Seriously who are you to think you can censor other people's private conversations?
Sounds like communist Russia.
Do liberals call each other 'comrade' as well?

Oh come on @JC19827

It was just a joke. Just lightening the mood ....

Magical we'll be reporting comrades to the Cheka / KGB / Russian Secret Police. 😉

It isn't a private conversation, though, if it is taking place in a workplace where others are subjected to hearing it?

If people want to have homophobic conversations behind closed doors, then that's their prerogative. Having such conversations openly within a workplace is not appropriate.

It absolutely is not appropriate at work. I'm one of the worlds biggest terfs but at work I have no opinions whatsoever.

People have no resilience these days, speak up at the time or just ignore. Opinions don't need reporting and people don't all need to have the same views. The world will not end if you disagree with someone

ETA- it probably IS best to keep things neutral at work but honestly, it's ok to disagree with someone !

People can hold whatever opinions they like. Nobody is policing what people think.

The issue is that it isn't appropriate to express certain prejudices in a work environment.

Do people really not understand the difference? You can think what you like, and you can say what you like in your own home, even if you're a raging homophobe or a vile racist etc. However, you can't expect to be able to freely express such views in the workplace.

No opinions?
Ever?
No communication or small talk. No asking if someone had a nice holiday?

If people must eavesdrop, what do you honestly think it will do to them?
People have different opinions, rather than making a mountain out of a molehill wasting the manager's time maybe just shrug and move on!
As someone else said upthread there was nothing hateful implied.

It isn't eavesdropping to overhear a conversation in a shared space - you often can't avoid hearing it.

And of course reporting homophobia isn't wasting a manager's time. Any half-way decent manager would want to know about it and want the opportunity to address it.

Im not really sure that it is in all cases tbh. If thats what you have been bought up with and those values instilled in you, thats very hard to break. I just think its hugely interesting that if those same two people were having a conversation that positively promoted LQBTQ and gender ideas in public spaces thats okay, but the opposite is not even if thats what they believe.

So you say nothing at all at work? How boring.

I think it's fine on a lunch break, and actually important that people with more extreme views on any number of subjects are allowed to express them and don't feel that there are things they can't say. That's how we've ended up with Brexit and Reform.