Comments on: Fire union backs sexual orientation questionnaire

By: Tristan

Tristan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:36:39 +0000

I'm sorry, but working for a council that currently doesn't practice monitoring I know the value of it. You can develop policy to protect LGBT employees based on the national figures (which are little more than educated guesses until its on the census)but how do you develop policy that meets the specific needs of LGBT firefighters unless you can identify them and ask what they need,or what problems they face? I think that Stonewall put forward a very postive case. It can be a found at http://www.stonewall.org.uk/workplace/1473.asp and is well worth reading.

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By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:12:17 +0000

Hmm, over-reacting much Adrian?

I've never had a problem with answering the questions related to equality and diversity on job application forms. In fact, the presence of a sexual orientation question gives me a greater feeling of security that if I were to have a problem at work with regards to homophobic bullying, my employer is more likely to take ti seriously. I'd be more likely to take a job with a organisation that asks that question than one who does not.

These questionnaires are always voluntary and always have the option of "Rather Not Say". The gay community still remains relatively invisible with regards to statistics and it is reactionary comments such as yours Adrian that means a sexual orienation question in the National Census is likely to never happen.

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By: Adrian Masters

Adrian Masters — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:14:26 +0000

And what might the purpose be of the employer knowing what the sexual orientation is of the employees?
To sent out a male or a female hooker onto him or her?
To sent the gay employee to a gay fire? And the straight employee to a straight fire?
It is discriminatory, allows the harassment of people by employers, and is a full breach of privacy of people!
Besdies, the nazis pre-WW2 registered all kinds of information of people, and everyone knows were that did lead to… deathcamps full of people with a specific faith, hundreds of thousands of homosexuals killed, tortured, abused and gassed…. Hundreds of thousands of people with a history in the family of mental diseases being murdered…….

Someones' sexual orientation is someones' private thing, and not the business of an employer!

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