Sunday 5 July 2009

Pride Or Prejudice

I missed the coverage of Gay Pride in London yesterday, but I understand the police were represented again along with HM forces. When I joined this job you didn't have "gay" people in the organisation, which is of course complete bollocks, as hundreds are now confident to live an openly gay existence as police officers. This includes people I've known for years before they outed themselves. Some have gone onto specialise in roles where they can wear tight leather and look cool. Personally I find some of my gay colleagues to be some of the most politically incorrect individuals I've met. It amuses me no end as managers can't work out the correct response to some outrageous gay story.

Society has had to move on and correct some injustices to the Gay community. The dismissal of homosexual staff from HM forces was plain wrong. Anybody who served always knew the WRAC were made up of a large number of lesbians but this couldn't be acknowledged officially. It would have taken a brave man to admit to a gay lifestyle in my day, but being against Queen's Regulations it never happened.

We now have a situation of diversity trumps, with a conflict of interest between Faith group supporters and Gay officers. This stems from strong religious beliefs against homosexuality. StressedOutCop has dealt with one such staff problem and is glad to report he shuddered, almost had a diversity overload and bottled it. I don't do Religion but if I did I would drift towards a Buddhist sort of gig.

It's a tricky one to deal with this diversity balancing act so I told both parties to Effing sort it out themselves and get back to me. I think this is a good old fashioned management technique that has been lost in the policy archives. Peace and goodwill then followed as both decided that they were good people, and despite having completely different lifestyles and beliefs and could work together.

One thing I am against though is the cottaging thing. Public toilets are for ablutions and it annoys the hell out of me that these are used as a pick up point for casual gay sex. I was on a surveillance job and bursting for a wee, so got ahead of the foot follow and headed for the nearest public convenience. Ten urinals nine taken one gap, so I take my position and get the valve problem, when you've been holding yourself in for hours. Nobody else moves and finally relief comes and I'm listening to the follow still going on. As I'm finishing still nobody has moved and I conclude my business, but can't help but notice the bloke next to me playing with himself. This isn't gay culture to be celebrated and if the Gay community want some toilet action they should stick to the WC's in the Furry Codpiece club.

I was going to post a KD Lang song for my best female gay friend just back in the country, who I love in a way that even Mrs Stressed approves, but I hate it so it's the Pet Shop Boy's for the Baby Bears and muscle Mary's. That's the way life is sums up my view perfectly.

I could have been an extra in this years ago and have still got the lycra swimming trunks, which are not for use in cold water.


8 comments:

TWINING said...

Well, this is the classic thing. Some faith groups V the gay community. Each fighting their own corner on diversity; yet each with prejudice about the other.

TWINING said...

Here here with you on that. I have met some gay colleagues who have undermined some of what some of us are trying to achieve.

Anonymous said...

Agree with you about the toilets. Gay sex isn't illegal anymore, so I completely fail to understand why people continue to make liasons in such unpleasant places as public toilets. I suppose maybe it just gets to be a cultural habit?

That said, you might've set off someone's fantasy visiting the toilet when you did if you were in uniform...

Dandelion said...

The "valve problem" as you call it is actually a sign of arousal. But I guess you knew that :-)

Stressed Out Cop said...

Dandelion

Cheeky !! He had ginger hair and definately not my type - 3 hrs of holding on shuts it and I'm sticking to that.

Anon

Gay sex is not illegal but OPD should cover such naughtiness in my book

T

Unless they're a gay Christian or Muslim.

Sierra Charlie said...

I was going to make a serious comment about the latest guidance on "public sex environments" but that is not very interesting. Clearly your neighbour was impressed with what he saw, Mrs Stressed must be a lucky gal!

Stressed Out Cop said...

SC

I wish !!! that's funny

Anonymous said...

I agree r.e. public toilets. 30 years ago, the gay community had a point in the sense that they were not allowed to live openly, and therefore had to resort to things like that. There is no excuse these days, so why is the practise still widespread?