thanks for all your input, I really didn't know where I stood, im not a PC idiot
Something that came to me in the middle of the night, was 1) the guy keeps coming in getting the same signs done, which indicates The Police are confiscating them, as he preeches in Market Street, the busiest shopping street in Manchester one of the gayest cities in Europe, and 2) My 'beloved' company only make £10 per sign profit so as someone pointed out they value me as much as a stapler!! lol!
Most of all, I handled it the wrong way, they saw it as a power struggle, they've already had to stop using racist and homophobic language because of my greivance letter, and that was there no.1 pass time!
I doubt it was the police, more likely to be simple vandalism. Paul, i TRULY feel for you, but you have to understand that what this man is doing is not illegal.
As far as your employment issue goes, they played you like a violin. They dug a big old bear trap, and you dived in head first, I am sorry to hear that they got to you.
In future, THINK, don't let emotions get in the way of your decision that is EXACTLY what your employers are trying to do. Take deep breath and think, 'what are they trying to achieve', then do whatever you need to do to protect YOU!
Above all, be calm, and be unemotional. If they give you this banner to make again, hold your head high, and tell them that you consider their actions to be persecution, as they know the content matter upsets you.
Understand that an employer has a duty of care to its employees, and asking a gay man to make abanner they KNOW he would find offensive, is no different to asking a straight man who has just lost his partner to lung cancer to make up a cigarette banner. OK if there is no other alternative, then so be it, BUT the employer 'should' really speak with the employee, and explain the predicament.
Unfortunately many men are homophobic (if they were comfortable with their sexuality then they should care about the orientation of others
) When I went out for a night with my ex business partner (who was gay) our friends would say things like do you feel safe going to a gay bar? I would always laugh and say I felt TOTALLY safe, as I fancied women not men, so EVERYTHING in the club was out of bounds for me regardless of their sex.
Keep your chin up, but keep looking around for those bear poits, they WILL dig another one as sure as light follows dark each day.
