Comments on: Guardian: A ‘hideously diverse Britain’ where LGBT people “hold strong cards”

By: Will

Will — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:27:28 +0000

“Hideously diverse! Such a positive outlook”

I agree Carl. Didn’t someone tell this “journalist” that, like it or not, the world IS a diverse place. People only use this kind of language when they are really saying “there are too many people not like me in the world”. And I hardly call gay people getting the entitled rights they’ve been denied for so very long, “holding strong cards”.

By: Carl Rowlands

Carl Rowlands — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:10:11 +0000

Hideously diverse! Such a positive outlook. I might be gay, different, diverse but I am not bloody hideous. Lets play into the hands of the idiots who wouldn’t be able to discriminate in the use of this langauge.

By: The Halcyon

The Halcyon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:33:54 +0000

There was actually nothing in that article – plenty of words but no points made. Frankly the series has been something of a let-down, no “exploration”, just sloppy journalism.

By: Squidgy

Squidgy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:52:03 +0000

As much as I hate this kind of labelling. Most people when you hear the ‘race card’ etc just roll their eyes. However I have to say I got so fed up with the homophobia and racism I recieved and getting no help that I did use the ‘gay card’. And very successfully too.

I do feel most use it just to score points and it weakens the purpose for its real legitimate right to be used against others with they are truly in the wrong.

By: Richard Farnos

Richard Farnos — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:26:32 +0000

I think that people will find that Hugh Muir’s is satrical – it ends: “A trump card doesn’t exist, but some cards give the holder a better than even chance of winning. Oh to be a white, middle-class, straight male.”

By: Big Boobies

Big Boobies — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:21:07 +0000

Personally I would have thought that Rob N should be the last one who should dare to talk about etiquette.

Take no notice of him, DG love, you use as many caps as you want. I can read them as easily as I can read lower-case. They don’t drive me into a lunatic rage as they do a person who always has to have everything fascistically THEIR WAY or else!

You take no notice of him, my love.

By: RobN

RobN — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:04:20 +0000

DG: THERE IS NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!!

We are neither deaf, nor stupid.
It is poor netiquette to use capitals.

By: DG

DG — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:02:12 +0000

Hello

I SEE, I GUESS WE NEED TO HELP ALL THE INTOLERANT PEOPLE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM, PLUS, HELP TO MAKE THE WORLD A MUCH BETTER PLACE.

Thanks

By: DG

DG — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:54:26 +0000

Hello

I SEE, I GUESS WE NEED TO HELP ALL THE INTOLERANT PEOPLE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM, PLUS, HELP MAKE THE WORLD A MUCH BETTER PLACE.

Thanks

By: theotherone

theotherone — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:03:58 +0000

‘love has no gender, sexual orientation or relationship status.’

but intolerance does.

By: DG

DG — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:57:32 +0000

Hello

Love is Love

IN MY OPINION, ALL PEOPLE ARE LGBT IN SOME WAY; THEREFORE, THIS DIVERSITY WHICH IS NOT REALLY DIVERSITY, NEEDS TO BE PROMOTED WITH LOVE, JUSTICE, AND RESPECT, AT ALL TIMES, FOR SUCCESS WORLDWIDE.

Note, love has no gender, sexual orientation or relationship status.

Truth Will Prevail

By: Abi1975

Abi1975 — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 05:07:40 +0000

With the amount of money the Guardian is losing these days you would of thought they would be nicer to people. All you seem to get in the paper these days are article after article that is divisive and hateful. Its as if they are trying to position themselves as a left and right wing daily mail.

I think they know they are going under and want to take the rest of us with them!

By: Saxon Kane

Saxon Kane — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:17:26 +0000

If you think the Gurdian is homophobic search the Brisbane Sunday Mail.
No mention of The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras held last night, one of the worlds great party events.

Just the usual Banjo spin again. A Sea Cruise or two with it’s questionable food. The more than dreadful state of our Queensland Health system. Wonder why overseas Doctors & Nurses are reluctant to work here?

By: Dave North

Dave North — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:55:18 +0000

Strangely enough. I found myself and my boyfriend both Scotsmen sitting in a pub in South Wales today just next to Cardiff, waiting to free some Ex-Battery Hens.

We ordered our food, and whilst waiting, a comment came from a barman who immediately after taking our order said to some A.N invisible other “Speaking of Gays, is xyz in tonight.”

At first, I was ready to just walk out, but I stayed wondering if my sensitivities were getting the better of me.

Turns out. The meal was nice. The staff were just minimum wage prats stuffing booze down the hetero idiots mouths as they are told to do by the Pub chain whist accommodating the boozy idiots.

I had my meal and left with an air of superiority with my understanding that cave men eventually die out.

However, I did make a complaint to the pub chain.

I simply asked for a meal, but became a butt of hidden innuendo
by a corporate chain.

By: Daniel Pitt

Daniel Pitt — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:09:04 +0000

I used to like the Guardian but this homophobic (and at times racist) piece is inaccurate, hateful & absolutely odious. Someone has obviously been taking a page out of Jan Moir & the Daily Fail’s “How to be an intolerant prick” bible. Oh no silly me, that’s just the bible and other religious texts.

By: Riondo

Riondo — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:28:03 +0000

This article is short and inadequate but it points to the way hostile elements see minorities as possessing a ‘card to play’ (presumably making use of anti-discrimination measures). There is always an a priori assumption in the use of this expression that we are needlessly attention-seeking or covering up misconduct or inefficiency by pointing at harassment or unfair treatment from others. The prejudiced by definition never see themselves as prejudiced. I remember a notable case some years ago when a white employer openly said he wouldn’t employ blacks because as a group they were ‘noisy and lazy’ – and was outraged when it was said that he was racist.
As in part suggested by ‘Will’ in this article, you probably have to let some issues go because the stereotype of ‘troublemaker’ gets added to, and amplifies, the minority stereotyping – ‘they are “just a lot of trouble” you know…’ This is witnessed in particular by the cases of women who courageously bring quite serious cases of sexist discrimination or abuse who mysteriously find they can’t decent employment in the same field again.
Another less obvious problem is that you can get perceived as ‘representing’ or ‘speaking for’ your particular minority by admittedly well-intentioned people. This shoe-horns you into a peculiarly artificial role and you end up being ‘on show’. I was at one point briefly defined as the ‘Office Gay Man’ and a colleague would introduce me to people as his Gay Colleague as though I were a visiting ambassador (not even the Chargé d’Affairs, darlings). It is complicated from any angle and takes political aplomb, confidence, and as suggested by RobN, a determination to do your job as well as anyone else. If you do that you are in a much stronger position to be clear about when people really ARE pushing you around through prejudice (I’m talking about the subtle stuff here, not the obvious abuse). It is a long and winding road but there is no other to walk.

By: AKyth

AKyth — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:10:43 +0000

Well the Guardian provides a platform for the foul effluence of Julie Bindel. Says a lot really.

By: theotherone

theotherone — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:31:58 +0000

the Guardian hates Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals but mostly Trannies.

And don’t get me started on Gender and race.

By: Carvero

Carvero — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:56:25 +0000

I stopped reading the Guardian when they started printing letters from nutcases about the evils of gays.

The Guardian is a horrible paper, with the Mail etc you know where they stand, the Guardian tries to be a moral paper but fails.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:45:12 +0000

Thank you, Pink News, for alerting us to this article. Information is power.

However, what a pathetic little piece it is. It says nothing. It asserts nothing. If it didn’t feature the picture of its black writer, it would have even less value than it does.

The only value this article may have is that it may trigger a proper and academic analysis of the advantages that being open about your sexuality may or may not bring.