Beechgrove Garden inclusivity.

[Karensalright]

Liked this programme as a bit quirky and old fashioned in its ways up In the challenging environment of Scotland.

So tonight we had a lovely segment on the Afghan community allotment project followed, and how they were growing food that they. Traditionally eat, some of which i had not heard of.

Then bugger me we have a segment on LGBTQ gardening???? Well Q actually.

They had nothing to offer in terms of gardening tips, or what they actually grew, just a bit of, well i dunno really, hello we are here, and gardening can be queer.

What has your dress sense, and identity have to do with gardening.

Did anyone else see it?

yes. What I learned from that is that queer people can be gardeners too. Everyday is a school day.

Gardeners World featured a trans woman in June 2022. I emailed the BBC but got no reply.
The man was filmed at his allotment but had no gardening tips or information, & didn’t even show us his vegetables - he was simply given a platform to waft around in a frock saying look at me.

Pride month innit?

No I didn't see it. But it's precisely this kind of thing that my friend, who is gay, absolutely hates. He's a bloke who likes gardening. Happens to fancy blokes. And finds this kind of thing so othering.

Kew Gardens got up to similar last year.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4926008-kew-gardens-yes-kew-gardens-says-plants-have-gender-not-sex?page=1

I missed it - but didn’t miss anything by the sounds of it.

What was the point of it, exactly?

the square root of fuck all.

Well they did not even show us “his vegetables” is that a joke @GiantHornets cos you made me laugh anyway.

I kind of thought there were always a lot of gay and lesbian gardeners?

I have no idea what the relevance of one’s sexuality has to do with being a keen gardener. So what is your point?

I can see the point in gardening programmes featuring gardeners with disabilities and health problems, as it could be useful to find out the practical steps they take to cope with the physical labour involved, and they can talk about the benefits to physical and mental health.

I can also see the point in featuring gardeners from various cultures because there might be new things for UK-based gardeners to learn.

Also good to have a varied team of presenters and contributors so everybody feels gardening is for them.

However, as others have said, sexuality and gender identity are totally irrelevant to a person's ability to be a gardener.

I think with those other examples, it affects the form of the garden in one way or another.

Fundamentally, garden shows are about the gardens.

There isn't anything different about a gay garden. It's just a garden. It's like featuring gardens made by people who like marmalade, there's no connection.

There isn't anything different about a gay garden. It's just a garden. It's like featuring gardens made by people who like marmalade, there's no connection.

Yes... well, I suppose if they featured Dalemain they might mention The World's Original Marmalade Awards and Festival but it's nowt to do with the garden.

Yes, it's surely completely and utterly unremarkable.

I don't know why I was reminded of the slang phrase 'gentleman's vegetables' but there we are.

I did think thank heaven for small mercies!

I have no idea what the relevance of one’s sexuality has to do with being a keen gardener.

Nor have I.

Unless of course they are utilising their produce in a way that is probably unpalatable to most.

I saw it, although I was already a couple of sheets to the wind to steel myself against the inevitable humping by Germany.

I seem to remember there was the usual waffle about feeling "safe" and I was ranting at the telly to "Jack" who I think was Non-Binary "You're a lassie" and DH and I lamenting "What happened to just being a good old-fashioned lesbian"?

I assume the person with the long hair and make up was a TW but as they were wearing a denim jacket and combat trousers, who knows (or cares)?

I did however learn that a loofah is a type of gourd and not a sea creature as I always thought, so every day's a school day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00205fh/beechgrove-garden-2024-episode-11

I joined a local Facebook gardening and plant swap group recently and was asked to introduce myself and my pronouns to the rest of the group🤔

I've asked my plants if they care how I identify. They haven't said.

Did you comply with the group's questions, Fizzadora?

Bet no 'turfs' get laid there, LOL
not very inclusive, is it, though 'inclusivity' is the mantra.

Why oh why does everything have to be "queered"? No wonder that there has been a drop in support of LBGTQIA+whatever rights, people are sick to the back teeth of it seemingly being shoved down their throats.

What do you mean by that?

It sounds like you’d rather non heterosexual people kept quiet about it - but maybe you just expressed yourself badly.

A person's sexuality or gender identity has nothing to do with their ability to garden. There have been several gay couples showing off their gardens on GW over the years, no problem. They talked about their favorite plants, taking cuttings whatever. No objections to that, why would there be?
If the trans person (disclaimer- didn't watch it) was there to talk about, I don't know, their best method of propagating fuchsias or earthing up their potatoes then yes, have them on the program. If they were just their to waft around in a frock and talk about their feelings, Beechgrove garden isn't the right place.

This shoving the "T" into everywhere regardless of whether they have anything to add to the subject (other than their pronouns) makes me very cross!

What do you mean by that?

'Queer theory' may have begun as a good idea - rejections of some societal norms of the time particularly heteronormativity.

But in western liberal societies now, being against heteronormativity now is the socially accepted norm, as is being anti racist etc.

Some (a minority, but some prominent) of the 'queer theorists' were interested in queering norms re the taboo on sexual relationships between adults and children. Not all norms should be 'queered'.

What has any of that to do with queer people appearing on a show about people who garden?

It sounds like you’re lumping all non heterosexual people together, and implying they are a threat to children - but maybe you just phrased it badly.