One of my pet bugbears is the patronizing bolleaux surrounding the multi-million £ diversity industry in the public sector. In November the 3rd Joint Service Conference on Lesbian, Gay and Transexual (LGBT) Matters will take place over 2 days in London. If anyone fancies going, the gen is on DII or
here. You don't have to be gay to attend and it's a warrant to London.
I'll spare you the full agenda. However, it would get you at least a line in any game of bull!!!!-bingo worth the name: 'Diversity Champions', 'LGBT Community Focus', 'E&D (= Equality & Diversity) Staff' - a Cdr (RN), Maj (Army) and Gp Capt & WO (RAF), 'LGBT Workstrand' and 'Front-line Unit E&D Advisor'.
The project officer posted a suggested agenda and asked for discussion and further items in March. It's nearly August and not one reply on the
Service Poofters' website. Yours truly thought he'd help out with:
Leaving the transgender lads and lasses aside for the moment, here’s a few ‘agenda items’ for the gay chaps and chapesses to ponder:
1. Is my sexual orientation any of my employer’s business?
2. As a gay person, am I a different sailor, soldier or airperson?
3. Will there be a Tri-Service conference for Scottish Servicepeople or those with ginger hair?
4. If there is, and I am a gay, ginger, Scottish Serviceman who is part black and half Asian, will I be able to attend all 5 conferences at public expense?
The post was deleted within a day and the conference project officer / webmaster sent an e-mail not really explaining why but entitled 'Conference Positivity' and asking me not to post any comeback on the forum. I replied as follows:
Hi [webmaster]
I never dreamed that posting a set of questions essentially questioning whether the conference should be taking place at all would be so contentious as to warrant being deleted in toto.
One wonders if days have changed that much in that it is merely a different prevailing orthodoxy that brooks no questioning. However, if I remain interested in the answers to those questions, I'll raise them on other forums.
My own feeling is that it is patronizing, accentuates irrelevant differences in a professional environment, is less likely to promote acceptance and is a monumental waste of scarce defence funds. Quite apart from which, a small vocal minority appoints itself as the voice of gay servicepeople. But the reason for posting here is to find out: What the general feeling is on conferences for gay Servicepeople?
Before anyone gets on their E&D high horse, I am an Ex-Serviceman who happens to be a poof (I prefer the term to the more PC 'LGBT') who was one of the few who fought through the courts to get rid of the old regime and the fluffy Nu-Labour Govt peed nigh-on £0.5M up the wall fighting me until 4 months ago.