THEGAYUK

Tag: National Trust

All the latest breaking news on National Trust. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on National Trust.

  • COMMENT | The real backlash is against the LGBT community, not the National Trust over rainbow uniform

    Oh the trolls are out today. Can you feel them?

    The National Trust’s ill-advised policy of punishing its volunteers to backroom duties if they don’t feel comfortable wearing the rainbow symbol is incredibly damaging. Not to the National Trust but to us. The LGBT community.

    “PC Gone Mad”

    “When you have to force your ideas on people it never works out”.

    Just spend a moment in the comment section of any of the national papers who’ve run this story and you’ll see, it’s not the National Trust that’s being lambasted but the LGBT community. Sure the National Trust may have taken a hit when a couple of hundred angry people ripped up their membership cards – but the lasting damage is on us.

    This has fueled the bigots and they are out in force, bemoaning that the LGBT community is once again being recognised. There are the usual cries of “why do they have to have a pride/month/day/rainbow… etc etc. They are moaning that this policy was forcing LGBT politics down their throats.

    When you have to force your ideas on people it never works out.

    “Forcing people out of roles that they love doing isn’t going to win them over – in fact, I’ll bet that it will just further entrench their feelings”

    I truly believe that you don’t win the battle for acceptance by punishing those who don’t: get us, agree with us or just plain despise us. Forcing people out of roles that they love doing isn’t going to win them over – in fact, I’ll bet that it will just further entrench their feelings – double down on them – and for all the lookie loos reading about this story it just gives them another reason to spew their vile tirades.

    Embracing or Excluding?

    If the purpose of wearing the lanyards was to ensure that LGBT visitors felt comfortable visiting a National Trust site, it’s failed. It’s not the staff or volunteers we have to worry about its the fellow guests – if the comment sections are anything to go by.

    An NHS trust recently embarked on a similar rainbow lanyard experiment to promote a pro-LGBT environment, but it was perfect in its execution. Only those who wanted to wear it – did – and as a result, they wore it with pride – it was about letting patients know that there was a friendly face, someone they could trust. That’s what the Rainbow symbol is about.

    Not forced politics and thought policing.

    Handled right this could have been the perfect opportunity to embrace the LGBT community, instead all this has done has excluded staff – and in the process made the LGBT community the scape goat.

     

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  • U turn from National Trust after “hundreds” revoke their membership over gay rainbow uniform

    National Trust has U-turned on its volunteers wearing the LGBT rainbow after its membership reportedly took a hit following reports that up to 11 volunteers at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, were removed from their front of house duties after they refused to wear Rainbow lanyards.

    U turn from National Trust after "hundreds" revoke their membership over gay rainbow uniform

    Volunteers who refused to wear Rainbow lanyards and badges at the National Trust’s Norfolk’s Felbrigg Hall were told they could not take part in public facing roles causing “hundreds” of members to effectively boycott the trust and revoke their membership status. The trust has now u-turned on its decision meaning that volunteers who do not want to wear the rainbow symbol will not have to.

    According to those who volunteer at the hall, all front of house workers were told to wear LGBT lanyards to celebrate one of previous owners of the hall, Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, who was gay.

    The campaign is part of the National Trust’s Pride Prejudice and Pride season to mark the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

    U-Turn Time

    According to the Independent, a spokesperson for National Trust said it had never been their “intention” to ignore the personal opinions of its volunteer staff.

    They added,

    “We remain absolutely committed to our Pride programme, which will continue as intended, along with the exhibition at Felbrigg,

    “However, we are aware that some volunteers had conflicting personal opinions about wearing the rainbow lanyards and badges. That was never our intention.

    “We are therefore making it clear to volunteers that the wearing of the badge is optional and a personal decision.”

    Boycott of National Trust membership

    The Daily Telegraph is reporting that at least 250 members have phoned the trust and revoked their membership after boycott campaign was started. Many of those members have accused the charity of being “overly politically correct”.

    According to those who volunteer at the hall, all front of house workers were told to wear LGBT lanyards to celebrate one of previous owners of the hall, Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, who was gay. The campaign is part of the National Trust’s Pride Prejudice and Pride season to mark the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

    The real backlash will be on the LGBT Community

    Editor of THEGAYUK, Jake Hook said,

    “It’s a real shame that something that was supposed to bring attention to LGBT history and interesting characters from our collective history has backfired in a terrible way. Now, because of the way this has been handled, by the National Trust the LGBT community once again finds itself in the firing line from comment trolls, the right-wing media and online bullies.

    “The volunteers who refused to wear the Rainbow lanyard should never be punished in this way. Rarely does punishment work in these situations and actually could cause a backlash towards the LGBT community.

    “A programme of education and enlightenment about LGBT matters is always more preferable”.

     

  • “Hundreds” of members revoke their member to National Trust over gay rainbow campaign

    The membership of the National Trust had reportedly taken a hit following reports that up to 11 volunteers at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, were removed from their front of house duties after they refused to wear Rainbow lanyards.

    Volunteers who refused to wear Rainbow lanyards and badges at the National Trust’s Norfolk’s Felbrigg Hall  were told they could not take part in public facing roles causing “hundreds” of members to effectively boycott the trust and revoke their membership status.

    The Daily Telegraph is reporting that at least 250 members have phoned the trust and revoked their membership after boycott campaign was started. Many of those members have accused the charity of being “overly politically correct”.

    According to those who volunteer at the hall, all front of house workers were told to wear LGBT lanyards to celebrate one of previous owners of the hall, Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, who was gay. The campaign is part of the National Trust’s Pride Prejudice and Pride season to mark the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

    Anyone who refused to wear the lanyard was moved to non-public facing roles.

    The Mail Online has reported that at least 75 volunteers at the hall are said to be protesting the call to wear the lanyards.

    The Trust has said that it has a “for ever, for everyone” policy.

    Annabel Smith, head of volunteering and participation development at the Trust, said,

    “We do recognise that some volunteers may have conflicting, personal opinions,” she said.

    “However whilst volunteering for the National Trust we do request and expect individuals to uphold the values of the organisation. We encourage people with any concerns to chat to our teams. As part of Prejudice and Pride we have worked closely with Stonewall and the University of Leicester who have been providing training and support to help as many volunteers as possible feel confident to take part.”

    When pro LGBT campaigns backfire

    Editor of THEGAYUK, Jake Hook said,

    “It’s a real shame that something that was supposed to bring attention to LGBT history and interesting characters from our collective history has backfired in a terrible way. Now, because of the way this has been handled, by the National Trust the LGBT community once again finds itself in the firing line from comment trolls, the right-wing media and online bullies.

    “The volunteers who refused to wear the Rainbow lanyard should never be punished in this way. Rarely does punishment work in these situations. A programme of education and enlightenment about LGBT matters is always more preferable”.