Loudoun County Takes A Stand Against Sex Discrimination (deal, gay)

[Guamanians]

Robbo: its no secret that gays tend to flaunt their gayness. You can't say that all of the discrimination (firing of jobs, etc.) has occured only because they were gay. I don't think we should discriminate against ANYONE. Making new laws won't really change anything. In todays world (lawsuits, harrasment charges, etc.) people are told to be mindful not to offend others. Shouldn't this policy apply to all people? If a gay person flaunts his homosexuality at work and it offends other co-workers are they supposed to tolerate it?

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Guamanians

legal protection for gays only? Isn't that discrimination? We don't need more laws...Again, laws don't really protect anyone, enforcement does. If someone commits a crime against a gay person then they should be arrested. Likewise, if a gay person commits a crime against a straight person then they should be arrested. No special treatment!

Your argument couldn't be more bogus nor your logic more flawed. We're not asking for special treatment, we're just asking to be treated like everyone else. YOU cannot be fired for being straight, whereas I CAN be fired for being gay in most of the country, and therein lies the difference. I don't know how to spell it out for you any more clearly.

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Guamanians

Robbo: its no secret that gays tend to flaunt their gayness. You can't say that all of the discrimination (firing of jobs, etc.) has occured only because they were gay. I don't think we should discriminate against ANYONE. Making new laws won't really change anything. In todays world (lawsuits, harrasment charges, etc.) people are told to be mindful not to offend others. Shouldn't this policy apply to all people? If a gay person flaunts his homosexuality at work and it offends other co-workers are they supposed to tolerate it?

You either need to stop hiding behind this "flaunting" canard or come clean on its meaning.

[Guamanians]

Smitty: if you don't know what I mean then I can't explain it to you. I'm not suggesting that all gay people are flaming, but there are many who are. Our country is very tolerant of alternative lifestyles, religion, etc. It is a shame that they are not as tolerant towards others. People need to stop blaming others when life doesn't go as they want. Everyone wants to play the victim so that they can get some sympathy from the mainstream establishments.

[smithy77]

Originally Posted by Guamanians

Smitty: if you don't know what I mean then I can't explain it to you. I'm not suggesting that all gay people are flaming, but there are many who are. Our country is very tolerant of alternative lifestyles, religion, etc. It is a shame that they are not as tolerant towards others. People need to stop blaming others when life doesn't go as they want. Everyone wants to play the victim so that they can get some sympathy from the mainstream establishments.

I agree completely with everything you just said, but you need to take your own advice. You fail to see the irony in your own comments. If you can't "explain it " to me (flaunting/flaming), then you have no argument.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by Guamanians

Robbo: its no secret that gays tend to flaunt their gayness. You can't say that all of the discrimination (firing of jobs, etc.) has occured only because they were gay. I don't think we should discriminate against ANYONE. Making new laws won't really change anything. In todays world (lawsuits, harrasment charges, etc.) people are told to be mindful not to offend others. Shouldn't this policy apply to all people?

I really don't understand. Are you saying that it's ok to fire people not specifically because they are known to be homosexual, but because they "act gay"?

So a man can be fired if he's effeminate? And a woman if she's butch?

I've worked with people who never told me they enjoyed sex with their own gender, but their behavioral traits were common to some gay stereotypes, particularly speech mannerisms. If I had a male employee who was "swishy", should I be able to fire him because he offended me?

I've also worked with people exhibiting these same stereotypes to the point I assumed they were gay, but it turned out they weren't. Should they, a non-gay, be fired because they "acted gay" in the opinion of co-workers?

Originally Posted by Guamanians

If a gay person flaunts his homosexuality at work and it offends other co-workers are they supposed to tolerate it?

Yes, absolutely, as long as he or she isn't "flaunting" in ways prohibited to straight people - e.g. hanging up pin-up nudes in his cubicle, using sexually explicit language, etc. If he or she performs the work duties, complies with the appropriate dress code, etc, it shouldn't matter if he keeps saying "girlfriend, that's fabulous!" or whatever it is you consider flaunting it.

I'm curious about what kind of "flaunting" has made you uncomfortable in your experience.

[Guamanians]

I never said that someone should be fired for being gay. The argument here is whether we need another law that protects gays only from discrimination. Refering to Robbo's position that straight people should tolerate gay people behaving in ways that offend them-- thats a double standard. Why is it that the gay person is assumed innocent? Why should they get special laws? If a co-workers behavior is offensive to thers then they need to tone it down... but, that doesn't apply if you are gay? People need to treat others with more respect, and stop hiding behind unnecissary laws.

[Caladium]

This week's paper says Delegate Bob Marshall is now challenging the legality of this decision. His argument is that local governments are only allowed to do what the state allows them to do. He's gone to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

With all the problems we have to deal with right now, why are our delegates wasting any more time on this issue?

[adolpho]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Should they be able to not hire people because they're ugly? Fat? Smell bad? terrible acne? No sense of humor? Which people get protected and which ones don't? Why do some count more than others?

If you have flown UAL lately, you would know the answer is no. What's next? A law for people on pogo sticks?

[Caladium]

Getting back to the Nova angle.... what do you all think of this argument that local governments are only allowed to do what the state allows them to do?