Sunday 25 May 2008

Did I ever tell you...

... This rumbles on.

In a further update, I am still trying to work out whether I feel appalled by the DR, sorry for her lack of awareness, or just privileged to have been privy to such a ludicrous situation. Or all of the above.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You were amazed, well frankly I'm flabbergasted! Truly lost for words on this one...

Anonymous said...

Actually, I have found the words, a slight variation of those used by one of the women at the table; 'She's got her head up her arse and her arse in the clouds'.

But Why? said...

Anon,
Hi. Welcome. And, well, yes - there's not much more to say than that, really is there? Completely unbelievable. Every time I think of it, it seems more and more ludicrous.

Then again, bigots are people, too...

Random Reflections said...

Where I work, a few years ago we all had to attend diversity training and we were told to think of any diversity issue as needing the same type of approach. So for example, if someone was epileptic, as a manager, you would ask various questions and assess the needs etc.

Therefore, so we were told, if someone was gay it should be no different then if someone came to you with any other diversity need. I did raise an eyebrow at this but came away from the course reassured that if someone is gay all you need to say to them is "do you take tablets for that?", "will you be needing any time off work?" and "do we need to make any special adjustments to deal with your condition?".

It's really very simple.

Kahless said...

How did she get the job??? I wonder what her views on disability are? Equally bigotted I would guess.

Reading the Signs said...

Absolutely fascinating, But Why. Because I thought that homosexuals were something you knitted - on account of that graffiti, you know:
"My mother made me a homosexual."
"If I give her the wool will she make me one too?"

Equally fascinating to discover that if you find in yourself the capacity to love both men and women then you are basically not to be trusted (so very last century that take on bisexuality, someone ought to tell the dear lady).

But Why? said...

Random,
I feel in some ways reassured that special behaviour in the diversity-awareness space isn't confined to only this organisation. In other ways, I feel that hope is almost entirely lost, and perhaps I should just fall in line and accept that diversity is now an industry.

I am also under the impression that in coming years, all the permanent employees in this organisation will have to complete an annual diversity assessment, in which they will be required to evidence how they respond to diversity within the organisation in a positive fashion. Or something like that. Rumour has it this will take about a week for every person to source the evidence they need. I don't for one second believe the length of time being rumoured around the place, but I'd find it hard to justify spending more than a couple of minutes on the matter. Just one more thing for me to hold against the diversity mafia. No doubt I would fail any diversity awareness assessment for my lack of appreciation of the difficulties faced by bigots and diversity types. I suspect it is impossible to score 100% on a diversity assessment.

Kahless,
This particular lady isn't a full time diversity type, it's a reponsibility she has acquired in addition to having a day job. I suspect no-one else was sufficiently bothered to volunteer...

Signs,
Why, hello.

It's true what they say about learning a new thing every day.

In my case, it's that homosexuals are something you knitted - I thought they were something you baked so that your offspring could enjoy home cooking whilst at university. My mother made me a cake in the shape of a choo-choo train made almost entirely out of chocolate. A neighbour referred to it as "a bit gay".

He didn't get any cake.

Anyway, you really should try the home-made cake thing. They're sooo much more chocolaty than the homosexuals my friends' mothers made them.

Kahless said...

I guess in order to pass the annual assessment, that the diversity officer will recommend that you befriend a homosexual then on your assessment form you just have to write "my best friend is gay" and hey presto!

I wouldnt recommend baking homosexuals though.

But Why? said...

Kahless,
What a stroke of genius!! I imagine there will shortly be a large rise in demand for homosexuals, which will peak shortly before the annual assesments. I envisage websites springing up offering the hire of a real live homosexual to guide and escort employees through their diversity assessment...

I reckon if a homosexual also happens to be a deaf, Welsh, Zoroastrian, midget, female, bigoted amputee of native American extraction, they could make a killing by ticking every box on the assessment form for a single (inflated) hourly charge. I imagine an employee would then merely have to sit in the same room as the homosexual midget Welsh, etc. amputee for about an hour without vomiting to provide sufficient evidence of diversity positivity. The more labels the better. Just not Bisexual. Diversity has spoken and doesn't take kindly to bisexuality...

The other worrying thing is that as I seem to recall, Diversity hadn't been drinking when they made the announcement...

Kahless said...

You'll be fine; say you know Mrs K,
she is short at 5ft 1in (don't tell her I said that), a disabled female homosexual living in wales. The only drawback is she is white, otherwise you could tick most boxes. Maybe I could rent her out?

But Why? said...

Kahless,
P.S. - I think they only become homosexual after the baking. They're a bit like toast in that respect. Yes, on reflection, I am almost certain that there are no such things as raw homosexuals. I mean, it's not something you'd have cold sliced into crudites or in a salad, is it? No, I'm fairly sure that homosexuals are pre-baked, and in no danger of further incineration.

But Why? said...

Kahless,
Are you sure you can't persuade Mrs K to adopt a minority religion and relinquish a limb or two...? Or even just a few fingers or toes? If you could, I foresee a lucrative new career opening up for her!

Kahless said...

My first thought was to undle her off to Islam, but then they could stone her to death. Not nice. What religion to do recommend? Dont hear much about the moonies these days?

But Why? said...

I reckon any religion will do, and you probably get bonus points for picking one the diversity types haven't heard of before. So I guess she should invent her own religion, which has as a central tenet the oppression of its own believers, thus making her an extremely tiny and powerles minority. I think that's the sort of thing that goes down well in Diversityland...

DJ Kirkby said...

Good Gawd, even i have better social skills that that person...and thats saying something!

But Why? said...

DJ,
I try charitably to assume there's some cultural barrier which prevents the Diversity Rep from understanding how her pronouncements are received by others. But I suspect it doesn't fully account for her lack of awareness.

I still can't quite believe the exchange which took place...

Anonymous said...

I suspect Diversity rep isn't getting any. And is therefore very jealous of anyone who might be, especially anyone who is bi, because in her book that is obviously a synonym for greedy.

I'd love to know what her position is re polys...

Much as I hate the initial story, I love the response of your readers, who unlike Diversity rep appear to belong to the humane race

But Why? said...

Gael,
Hi. Welcome. Nice to meet you. Yes. Thoroughly unbelieveable behaviour by the D.R. Three days later, I'm still reeling...

I'm afraid I can't comment on whether she is or isn't getting any - it's not the sort of conversation I'd be indulging in over dinner.

It is rather lovely to be able to relate these sorts of occasions to people who repond in a reasonable fashion. Hurrah for the nice people in the world!