Jobs Threat to Lesbians and Gays

KENILWORTH, 1 MARCH 2002 — The employment rights of gay men and lesbians could be severely compromised if the Government goes ahead with plans to exempt religious groups from new legislation outlawing discrimination in the workplace.

In a response to a Government consultation on the proposed new legislation outlawing discrimination at work on grounds of sexuality, religion, age and disability, the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) says that thousands of jobs controlled by religious bodies could be denied to “practising” homosexuals and atheists.

Terry Sanderson, a spokesperson for GALHA said: “The proposal to allow religious bodies to continue discriminating against those they disapprove of – which almost inevitably means gay people – could see gay teachers working in church schools or others working in the religion-controlled welfare sector losing their jobs. There is also a proposal that people employed in religious bodies must promise to uphold the ethos of that religion. That could mean that gay people who are given employment in such bodies on the understanding that they are not ‘practising’ homosexuals, and subsequently start a relationship, could be asked to leave. In other words, the price of falling in love could be the sack.”

GALHA has objected most strongly to the Government’s plans to permit religious employers to ring-fence all jobs – even cleaners, janitors, doctors and nurses – for their own believers. Terry Sanderson commented: “Some of these jobs are paid for by the taxpayer – such as in church schools. It is totally unacceptable that religious groups could reserve all these jobs for their own kind. Just what difference do a person’s personal beliefs make to their ability to be a nurse in a hospice or a carer in an old people’s home? Why does a teacher have to be straight in order to teach French or Biology?”

He continued: “This new legislation is supposed to be about protecting people from unfair treatment at work. By making these concessions to religion it is actually institutionalising bigotry and legalising unfair discrimination. The Government must think again.”

Notes:

The Government’s proposals are available at http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality.

GALHA’s response is available at http://www.galha.org/submission/2002_02.html