Wear Our Gay Pride Badge Or You Can't Meet The People, The National Trust Tells It's Volunteers.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4759510/National-Trust-tells-workers-wear-pride-badge-face-ban.html

Isn't this taking things a little too far?

[tamborine]

I dont wear badges as they mark clothes, except a poppy

[bhg481]

cassa // How many volunteers does it take to open a country house? Would they have enough paid staff and volunteers if half went on sickies or holiday?? //
NT have a minder in every room of the property to answer questions and prevent theft and damage. It is not uncommon for rooms to be closed off if they are short of volunteers.

[Islay]

He has been 'out' for many years so the excuse given is a rubbish one!!

[kvalidir]

It's simply because it's for the 'Prejeudice and Pride' days- they don't have to wear them the rest of the time. If they don't like it then don't volunteer for those days, so simple, such a storm in a teacup.

[jno]

if a company is running a promotion, it would expect staff to join in. If the staff are volunteers, they can refuse. I don't see the big deal here.

[-Talbot-]

Some people are gay and that's it ... they don't want to be cheerleaders or activists and from what I have read about Wyndham Ketton-Cremer he was happy to remain below the radar.

People ... even Stephen Fry should respect that.

[Gromit]

Thank you for the Telegraph link Baldric, now the story makes sense.

The volunteers at Felbrigg Hall are not objecting to the badge because of what it represents, or that they are being forced to promote gayness, the are refusing to wear it out of protest at R. W. Ketton-Cremer being 'outed' by the National Trust.

That is an entirely different scenario, and I now have full sympathy with the volunteers' objection.

[jno]

I don't know why the sex life of a previous owner is any concern of today's volunteers. But if they want to stay home they can; they're volunteers.

[Islay]

He was not outed by the National Trust - it is well known in the area that he was Gay!!

[Islay]

Also looking at the NT website the pride badge features in loads of different sites!

[Gromit]

Wikipedia seems to suggest R. W. Ketton-Cremer's homosexuality was known about during his lifetime amongst his friends. He had no heir on his death which is why he left Ferbrigg Hall to the National Trust. So the NT didn't 'Out' him as such, but they are publicising the fact to a wider audience who were probably unaware of it.
The volunteers seem to be suggesting the R. W. Ketton-Cremer would have been horrified. They may well be right. But he lived when homosexuality was illegal, and his reason for being discrete about it may have been more about avoiding prosecution, prison and a public scandal. If he had lived to these more enlightened times, he may well have acted differently.

[anotheoldgit]

jackthehat

/// The NT are responsible for this, AOG, *not* your 'certain minority groups'. ///

I never said that certain minority groups were responsible, as much as you would have liked me to have said it.

It is those like the usual suspects who are offended on behalf of others.

[-Talbot-]

I know a 6 foot 6 tattoo artist who happens to be gay but if anyone who didn't know him well spoke to him or even spent time in his company they wouldn't know. He keeps it as private as possible ... his choice but maybe he should be outed to the world should he?

The likes of him and R. W. Ketton-Cremer not shouting from the rooftops about their sexuality should be ashamed of themselves.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

Oh it's those pesky right wingers moaning again is it?

Perhaps some would wish us all to also wear red star badges eh?

[Baldric]

///I dont wear badges as they mark clothes///

If you actually looked at the link the badges are shown as being attached to a Rainbow Ribbon, so no damage

[Islay]

Nobody is outing R. W. Ketton-Cremer its is a NT scheme and is running in several of the NT buildings

[anotheoldgit]

-Talbot-

"The likes of him"

Hey! Steady on Talbot, you've dared to utter those 4 offensive words.

[jno]

maybe he should be outed to the world should he?

if he's alive, no

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

The reason matters not, the main objection is the fact that they have been threatened if they don't wear the badge,

[jno]

threatened? With what?