You are safe with me

[Justme56]

I saw this on Twitter as David Tennent was wearing one. I’m sure his intention is good but it gave me weird vibes. Can he guarantee that everyone who is wearing one is ‘safe’ to be around? Am I overthinking this?

I'm sure Tennant's fine and all, but ick that badge! Just naw ! Run kids !
Don't trust anyone who is so eager to make you break down your boundaries. Not everyone is your friend, just because they say they are.(Something I could have done with knowing when I was a youngster). I dread to think who else will wear that badge with glee.

100%

I mean it's clear from.some views shown that some of the LGBT community are hostile towards others in it (to put it mildly!)

My rule of thumb is that the more letters in the acronym, the more likely it’s not supportive of lesbians & the L is just there for window-dressing.

I remember the 70s and growing up, and the relentless messaging on not getting into cars with strangers, not taking sweets from strangers, hell, not talking to strangers.

Yes, the police were strangers, doctors were strangers, teachers could be strangers, and we all know how badly that can go too. And did.

Now we're really asking to unwind all that? To go against decades of safeguarding and plain common sense advice for kids and vulnerable people, so that strangers wearing this badge just declare as SAFE, and that's ok then?

And by inference, those not wearing are UNSAFE?

Yes, the police, doctors/nurses, teachers etc, up to a point you have to take their badges on trust. But as a rule everyone has to prove their trustworthiness, and you have to assume the worst in many cases.

Now this badge is going to throw a giant spanner in the works.

How many more transgressions is this movement going to make before society really starts thinking more clearly?

It isn’t a substitute for a DBS check no. But which children and adolescents are going to know this?

This is signalling non the less. Just like rainbow lanyards and such. These signals are all
adding up to create a message of trust. I think it is foolish to deny this is happening.

And combined with the other successful messaging that is happening, about love has no age and other boundary lowering messages this is another boundary breaching tool. And when you listen to your teen’s 14/15 year old friends telling each other that lesbians do trans dick or else they are transphobic, you understand the overall impact of the messaging.

And yes, it certainly will not be ‘all’ badge wearers that are going to cause issues. Just like it is not ‘all’ police that have used their position for abuse or ‘all’ priests, or ‘all’ any group. However, there will still be a proportion of them that will.

Of course, it is not just sexual and other boundaries that could be crossed. It is also reinforcing the feeling of alienation that these children and teens feel. That someone wears a badge declaring they are ‘allies’ subtly and no one else at an event does reinforces that sense of isolation that is being weaponised. And if you believe it is not being weaponised, why does Stonewall keep using language and messages that builds on these feelings? Just continuing the message about suicide Is enough to communicate the sense of vulnerability and that society in general doesn’t care enough. It has been shown across countries to not be true, yet the message is repeated all the time.

We know some people cannot see the complete lack of safeguarding in many of these people who are setting up events or writing content for children or in positions of setting policy etc. There are many reasons they cannot see it. How many times have we seen a rare poster declare there is nothing to see when male individuals are being led like a dog in a dog suit having children pat them? So, I am quite aware that there are people who won’t understand the layering of messaging going on.

These badges are just another layer of signalling. And no DBS checks needed.

Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris would have loved these!

If someone's wearing that I'm afraid my immediate reaction would be 'and why are you trying to reassure me it's safe to be with you, grandma?'

IDK what the fuss is about. Everyone knows a bloke wearing a 'Trust Me' badge is definitely a good 'un.

I think it'd be a very rare occurrence for someone with ill-intent to buy that badge

You think, do you? I don't see much sign of that.

It's the equivalent of love bombing, isn't it? And I've been on relationships long enough to know that's red flag.

I would avoid anyone wearing that badge as it is the equivalent of a red flag-klaxon.

If men were wearing these with the suffragette flag I’d think they were the most patronising creepy things ever and wouldn’t want to be in their company. It doesn’t mean anything but virtue signaling.

Can’t people just learn to live in the real world and that includes being around people who might not share your viewpoints. We’re becoming so intolerant and I don’t me
an of extreme views or any views that promote violence. I had a colleague say it was outrageous that people in our company could have the belief that there are two genders.

Haha, one of the muppets who won't associate with me anymore because of my "hateful", views posted that badge on FB, clearly aimed at me.
I laughed.

What has happened in the world that a child or teen has been taught by supposed support groups to expect a negative reaction to themselves as a person from others? So that wearing badges and lanyards are even needed?

Who the fuck benefits from further teaching children and adolescents to only approach people wearing visible signs of ‘acceptance’ and that another person not wearing that ‘sign’ is not as trustworthy?

Anyone want to answer that?

Who benefits?

I fully believe the intentions are good, but I have to agree with the majority here that this badge is super creepy - and does suggest a child catcher! OMG! 😱

And is any women totally 100% safe with any man... really?

OMG my ribs!!!!!! 😂

I think this was the Block Parent program. You didn't just get a sign though, you had to be accepted into the program.

We had a young tween aged client complain that we no longer had all the sexuality flags displayed in our library. Because it had been so welcoming before.

Well, we welcome everyone, including people who don't like rainbows, are religious conservatives, whatever. And actually, we even have a guy who used to pimp out young women, who is a big science fiction fan since he started reading in prison. We try hard to provide good service to everyone who walks in the door, no matter what we think of them privately.

It makes me a bit crazy that to show we will serve this one group we are supposed to display symbols that some others will find alienating, when the actual fact is no one is turned away or treated poorly.

Does David’s badge imply that by contrast, trans kids are “unsafe” around gender critical people? How does that work?

Maybe “Trans Ally” or “You Are Accepted” would have been a less creepy message.

Yes. That is exactly where this leads. Whether it was intended to or not.

It creates a trust signal that is being built over time and different messages. But the result is just that. Unless someone overtly signals their acceptance, those children or teens will assume non-acceptance by others. That is what happens with this type of programming.

Tennant is just a useful idiot. But I absolutely believe that this badge represents a safeguarding risk.

Cross posted with Helle along the same lines.

It seems to imply that gender diverse children are only safe around people wearing a badge proclaiming the fact.

It tacitly implies that the world is a hostile place, full of people who are 'unsafe', and that 'trans' children should seek out people who identify themselves as 'safe'.

It's a bit nuts, isn't it? Tennant and anyone else wearing this badge (much like the rainbow lanyard worn by some NHS staff) is clearly designed to send a message to gay, lesbian and trans people that they (the badge-wearing individual) won't hurt them.

But the message it really sends is "This is a dangerous world for gay, lesbian and trans people, where lots of people are out to harm you."

I don't think that's a wise message to be sending out.

For the most part, this isn't a dangerous world for gay, lesbian and trans people, at least not in the UK. Luckily, we've moved on from the days when being gay meant you had good cause to be frightened of being beaten up.

The real aim of this badge, it seems to me, is to signal your virtue. The person who wears it does not inconvenience themselves in any way, but they get to show the world what a good person they are.