Yesterday at work we were talking about actors and started talking about a particular Australian actor. A work colleague said she didn't like him, she thinks there is something 'weird' about him. She started to say 'I'm sure he's a closet...' then stopped. I didn't actually hear this, but another colleague did and encouraged/challenged her to finish the sentence. She said she didn't want to in case it would offend me, but in the end she was open about the fact that she thinks he's a closet gay - 'Not that there's anything wrong with that!', she was quick to state. I did point out to her that she had linked his 'weirdness' with his supposed homosexuality. 'I knew you'd be like that', she said, 'That's why I didn't want to say it'.
But she was thinking it!
This is a woman who wouldn't see herself as homophobic, or homonegative (is that the correct adjectival form?!), and I have to admit, neither would I.
I guess it's out there in subtle forms.
1 comment:
Oh dont start me on this one Campbell... I just took on two colleagues at work on homophobic comments, straight out jokes, giggling (god one had the KKK in pink satin robes as a screen saver)...
up from Sydney comes the lawyers....Im hauled in..another colleague 'meetings in all directions, we are questioned (on the defiensive.... It wasnt do you think these two are homophobic...it was do you think our organisation is homophobic... but it turns out that it had been put in context for them...grrrrr, these colleagues had made 'harmless' jokes and management would tell them not to do it again...... Christ im livid... sorry to rant here but I have a confidentiality order placed on me and cant talk about the situation or meeting...if I breach confidentiality Im sacked....yep homophobia is alive and well in Australia
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