Being gender critical at work, Jk Rowling etc NHs

[DoubleScreens]

I can't believe this is even my reality. I work in a very big nhs trust and I have cancer, I already have a thread about my manager asking me if she was safe to be in a room with me after she googled my medication and realised it's an antipsychotic, (it is but I take it for bipolar as a mood stabiliser) then she asked if I was safe to be in work with my mental health conditions .

ANYWAY! My reason for this thread is that I own this. Up and I use it every day it's on my desk as I like it, and my manager's deputy has decided it's totally inappropriate for me to have this mug as 'Jk Rowling is a terf'

Also she's angry with me because I had to renew my ID badge and I refused to put pronouns on the badge as that is a requirement now, but I think it's ridiculous so I refused and my manager is saying I'm transphobic and homophobic which is so awkward because I'm married to a woman.

I just couldn't believe it, I don't see patients any more because of my cancer treatment, why do I need to put my pronouns on my id badge?

Anti-psychotics aren't prescribed lightly. They're generally for things like schizophrenia and paranoia delusions, so I can understand why finding out you're on them would make her anxious.

Absolute rubbish. They're prescribed off label for a variety of things as well. I have neither schizophrenia nor delusions but I've been prescribed an anti-psychotic for insomnia before. I have ptsd, at my worst the only person I'm a threat to is me.

I've seen them prescribed for tourettes, anxiety and bipolar before as well.

I would absolutely be pushing back hard against that sort of attitude, especially in the NHS.

The fact you have cancer also gives you the protection of disability; it's defined in the act. So your manager is on really shaky ground and you don't deserve the hassle when you're well never mind when you've got so much to deal with.

Use the mug at work or not, it's up to you. Definitely make a note of the conversations you have with her in case you need to build a grievance against her.

Sad to say, it sounds like like she thinks she can bully you out. I've seen it don't and it's horrible.

@StrongerThanYouTh1nk Thanks for posting that. Made me laugh. 😄

It's such a shame there are only six of us and our many socks.

Imagine the power of that one on one conversation or one on small group conversation to everyone who is taking everyone's word for it about JKR and the issues.

I’m really sorry this is happening to you, @DoubleScreens. I also work in healthcare (private, not NHS) and this morning have lost a gender battle I’ve been fighting for months. I can’t go into any detail, but the law is not on my side on this, and I won’t win unless I turn it into the next Forstater, which I’m not brave enough to do. I’m so fucking angry and frustrated, and I stand beside you, meaningless and powerless as that is. It’s fucking shit.

Also seen anti psychotics prescribed as anti sickness medication! Or anti sickness prescribed as an anti psychotic, not sure which way round 😁

Her question about being safe around you is totally out of order. Trying to force you to put pronouns on your badge is stupid. However, as others have suggested, maybe ditch the mug. You don’t want to give them any reason to accuse you of being discriminatory against a protected characteristic (which being trans is).

Agreed that they're prescribed almost off-label for some people.

There's a reason drugs like haldol/haloperidol/chlorpromazine are known as a liquid cosh. They're still over-prescribed to 'help people sleep or to calm them down' (despite the lack of an evidence base for benefit and a strong indication of harms).

What does the mug say? I don't know if it's because I'm on the app but I can't see anything.

"and homophobic which is so awkward because I'm married to a woman".

That is absolutely hilarious.

'Being trans' is not a protected characteristic. Gender reassignment is, but how you get there from a JKR mug is a stretch beyond most Olympic long jumpers.

I would be covertly recording all conversations with the manager on my phone, (unless they include any patient-identifying information). It is legal to do so for personal use.

Though covert recordings are not always admitted into employment tribunals, they can be if they demonstrate that a manger is lying.

That's brilliant @StrongerThanYouTh1nk
The patience of that teacher! Love the way he stays so calm. Not easy to do when surrounded by this stuff.

Do not engage about these issues again. You must force them to put everything in writing to you. Email HR. Keep records. Every single thing written down and recorded.

I definitely don't have psychosis. I take them as a mood stabiliser to stop the swinging from euphoria to fuck I want to die

Ds2 takes antipsychotic medication for tics. I have been prescribed some for vertigo, in the past.

This is amazing. Thanks for sharing.

Oh the mug is white with gold broomsticks on it saying the 3 broomsticks. It's a le creuset one I just like the mug 🤣

Does it actually name JK Rowling @DoubleScreens? Or has she jumped to that conclusion herself?

So it's really a HP mug? I assumed you were talking about "I ❤JKR" or similar. Your manager is being ridiculous.

@Ereshkigalangcleg and @GrumpyPanda no it doesn't have jk Rowling on it. She's totally jumped the shark with the transphobia crap

Good lord.

Dear DoubleScreens, I have nothing useful to contribute, fortunately lots of other PPs have, I just want to send you huge amounts of support and good wishes in what you're going through, including one of the most outrageous managers in recent history.
I haven't been on MN for long but I gather the done thing is to send a 'bouquet of flowers' emoji in these circumstances, but my attempts to find that emoji have resulted in a spider, a leaf and a downhill skier.. so please just imagine that you're getting a hug and a big bunch of your favourite flowers☺

Click on the emoji button on the bottom right of the text box, then click on the blue ‘m’ to access the old fashioned MN emojis. Alternatively, type square brackets (one of these [)flowers square brackets.

Ah, the magic Big Blue M! Thank you, and here's one each for you and for OP☺