NHS rainbow badges

[YesIWorkForTheNHS]

As per (shiny new) user name, I work for the NHS. They're bringing in rainbow badges and lanyards at my trust (Google NHS rainbow badges if you want).

Anyone want to help me disentagle / articulate what I think about this?

On the one hand, I want to be inclusive (in the sense that I want everyone to have equal access to healthcare, and remove barriers - real or perceived - to people accessing what we offer). But biological sex matters, particularly in healthcare, and I think we should be held to high standards wrt equality of access for everyone (including women and girls) whether or not we are wearing stripy accessories.

I'm ignoring it for now. But I've had plenty of people tell me how great it is. I have friends at work who know what I believe wrt sex and gender, but I'm not sure I want to have an all-out discussion about my decision not to signal "my tribe" with a badge. The rainbow does not (any longer) represent my beliefs.

*But I have several trans colleagues who I see facing nasty verbal abuse regularly to their face or behind their backs from patients and staff. I always call out nasty behaviour whoever it's directed at.

I don't really know what my views are on the trans issue regarding self Id but I don't agree with individuals getting abuse.
Again, I don't need to wear a special badge to show that I will call out abusive behaviour*

That’s shitty and no one deserves to be abused at work.

Vulnerable women (and men) should be able to specify that they want a same sex (not gender) health care professional though, which can cause a conflict of rights and a lack of trust. It’s a tricky one.

Not attacking or bullying isn’t tricky though, there should be no tolerance of that, regardless of colour of lanyards.

September is childhood cancer (yellow) and Histiocytosis (blue) awareness month, btw - should anyone fancy a new ribbon 🤗

I would be very wary of anyone wearing anything with a rainbow on it. I'd think that they hate women.

Female nursing staff have been getting sexist and thuggish attacks since year for ever.

Maybe a colour that says ‘nurses aren’t sex objects or punch bags’. Maybe we need a colour that tells patients and families to treat all staff with respect?

Not just nursing staff, female employees in many (every) industries have suffered sexual harassment and discrimination since the year dot. If only we realised it could all be fixed by making everyone wear a pink lanyard!

I was just keeping to the thread theme - but you are absolutely right. Although there is still the ‘sexy nurse’ stereotype though isn’t there?

Yes you are right. I was thinking of the ‘colleague’ scenario. However, though I condemn bullying of trans staff, these days I an sceptical of what is classified as bullying. If a patient referred to a transwomen as a man/he does that count? What if they said they wanted a female HCP, a transwoman turned up but was turned away - is that patient ‘bullying’ that HCP? What about if they were challenged in the female toilets or a female colleague backed out of a changing room? What if a HCP refused to perform a cervical smear test on a Or made reference to their sex?

For a group of people who describe saying ‘miss’ or ‘sir’ when they don’t believe themselves to be that, as ‘literal violence’ I assume someone giving them a second glance or gawping is listed as a crime against humanity.

The bullying of trans people I've witnessed includes patients saying loudly & sarcastically "what was THAT" when it's obvious the person presents as a woman, talking as if the trans person is an object with no feelings.
Also saying well That's a MAN when the trans person is obviously presenting as female & can hear them. It's rude!!

We only have one staff toilet on the ward, which is obviously for mixed sex & is lockable the only issue is that we need more toilets.
There's a female changing area.
The trans student nurse & volunteer avoid any conflict by changing in the toilet.
I also change in there as I'm private.

People in pain/people with mental illness/people with dementia/frightened people/stressed people aren’t known for politeness though.

We are mammals. Injured animals often bite their human care givers.

Not an excuse, just an explanation.

Tierra, that is awful and no person should be subjected to rudeness. Unfortunately the general public can be rude. Even if they think that trans women are not women, there is no reason to mention unless their presence is directly affecting them just like you won't comment on people's weight etc.

This does however backs up the case for not using the lanyards as those patients how have made comments clearly do not agree with what the lanyards stands for and so those people may feel alienated by them and despite their uncalled for comments still deserve the same level of care and consideration.

If I asked for a female HCP and a transwoman turned up, I would also say ‘you’re a man, I asked for a female HCP’.

If my elderly mother suffering from dementia was in hospital and a transwoman was on the ward she would probably also say ‘that’s a man’ because she is seeing a man who presents as a woman and would feel it necessary to be clear about the matter. She is blunt due to her dementia, others are blunt due to age (toddlers), or autism. What would be rude would be to tell them they are wrong and the evidence of their eyes, nose and ears is incorrect, or to enter a debate about how words no longer mean what they think they do.

I'm bisexual/asexual and I will not wear one of these badges. I'm here to work (not as a nurse) and nobody needs to know what i am and I don't need to know what they are in my job.

Also saying well That's a MAN when the trans person is obviously presenting as female & can hear them. It's rude!

So would you think I was rude if I wanted to be treated by a woman, not by a man presenting as one?

Also saying well That's a MAN when the trans person is obviously presenting as female

Can you explain what you mean by 'presenting as female'? Are all women to be expected to 'present as female' according to whatever definition you have of this phrase?

I don't wear a rainbow lanyard at work. Not because I am hostile to same-sex attracted people or those who can't/won't accept their sexed bodies, but because I really hate corporate virtue-signalling.

What were your feelings on the massive corporate uptake of the #metoo campaign?

Someone upthread mentioned that they’re being told that anyone can sleep anywhere.

In the hospital my mum was in, there was very clear signage stating that no-one should have to share washing, sleeping or toilet facilities with the opposite sex in the hospital. It was very clear, and I was very pleased to see it.

I’d still like to see the NHS staff responding to those of us (lesbians & otherwise) who feel threatened by the rainbow.

'What were your feelings on the massive corporate uptake of the #metoo campaign?'

I'm in corporate ville and didn't notice this. What sort of things were done? If it was companies putting out statements saying they wouldn't turn a blind eye to sexual harassment etc then that's out of their hr docs isn't it, and the law.

I don't remember any lanyards or talks or anything.

I mean I only work at one company obv but in City and lots of female friends I meet up with and also keep my ear to the ground re d&i stuff. I don't remember much, or any noise tbh

So would you think I was rude if I wanted to be treated by a woman, not by a man presenting as one?

YY - are we allowed to point out that the "female" HCP we specifically requested is no such thing?

It’s actually pretty sexist to assume that just because a bloke has long hair & a skirt, for instance, he’s supposed to be a woman.

It's not rude to say you wanted a female if a transwomen came in, but it is rude to comment on people's apperances. I don't think the other poster was saying it would be rude either tho. She did think it was rude to call someone "that" and the other example she said the person said that they were a man sarcasticly. Those examples would be rude. Even if the person can't help being blunt it only excuses the behaviour and makes it understandable, but it is still rude

I agree there is a difference between being actively and intentionally rude, and there's no time where it's ok to point and shout at other people whether it's 'that lady's fat!' or 'they've got green hair!' or anything else - with the proviso that society generally accepts that young children and people with additional needs and disabilities need understanding when those social rules aren't possible for them, and doesn't take it personally.

Being forced to discourtesy is something else, and that's when it has to be ok to say you want a same sex hcp - and how that person identifies doesn't count to you in meeting this need - and that you're not ok sleeping next to someone you perceive as male, and that you're not ok with being excluded from spaces if you can't share them with males/not ok with being pressured to get over your 'genital fetish' etc. Freedom of belief. That's what this comes down to. Live and let live.

Key point still: health care staff shouldn't be wearing any politically affiliated symbols for the many reasons discussed above.

@EmpressLesbianInChair, I work for the NHS in mental health. I am not in favour of puberty blockers for children or women's sexual health services being advertised to cervix-havers, or women requesting a female HCP being treated by male bodied transwomen or any of this kind of nonsense. I do not wear a rainbow badge to sign up for any of this. It is really a very simple, small and benign message signifying equality and inclusion and apologies for my ignorance, but the idea that anyone could read any more into it than this is a surprise to me.
When I got a rainbow badge I agreed the following "I confirm that I understand wearing a badge gives a positive message of inclusion and means I have a responsibility to be someone who is a friendly ear for LGBT+ people and families."
I really find it hard to disagree with this simple message, and I was not aware that people feel threatened by the rainbow, so obviously I would like to learn more. What do you imagine when you see someone wearing a (tiny) rainbow badge, or a rainbow lanyard. I genuinely would like to understand more.

It’s actually pretty sexist to assume that just because a bloke has long hair & a skirt, for instance, he’s supposed to be a woman

This ^

I think you’ve brilliantly articulated something I’ve had rolling around in my head for ages.

Majestic, I'm not Empress, but mostly I find it intimidating because of the association with shutting out Lesbians who are in any way vocal about their boundaries, and yes, a rather mindless acceptance of transing kids.
The only objection I used to have to the rainbow flag was the corporate bandwaggoning, but it's now associated with lots of other very concerning things which exclude and actually sometimes frighten me. I know that is not why you wear it, of course. But you don't announce the little pledge each time you meet someone, you wear the flag with all those connotations, and yep, I would definitely be wary.