There is so much discrimination in this world, let’s not add another in our workplace. A place where we work 9 hours a day, where equality should exist and promotions and opportunities should be presented to anyone because of his capabilities, not skin colour, not gender and definitely not sexual preference.
Tom (he prefers to be anonymous) is a wonderful guy, a good friend of mine and he is gay. He is very kind, witty and one of the rare few people I know that generously volunteered his time at old folks home on weekends and holidays. He is the first one to show up at your home with a hot chicken soup if he knows you are down with the flu. He loves children and as much as he knows he is fighting the near impossible, he carries hope that one day he will be able to adopt one with his partner of 17 years.
At work, he is among the few that is last to leave the office. Sometimes, he comes back to the office during his off days to bring snacks for his colleagues. He is funny and never fail to throw in a joke or two to diffuse a heated debate. Hardworking and dedicated to his work, he never let anyone else pick up his slack. You could have thought he is popular among his coworkers but sadly, no. The moment he felt safe, he let his guard down and someone who knew him personally, accidentally outed him.
Tom thought to himself, ‘No big deal. I’m still the same old Tom.’
People at work begin to avoid taking to him. Some extremists even avoid walking the same path as him or avoid using the same toilet, exiting meeting rooms upon his arrival. Some of his colleagues accepted him and stood up for him. But people are uncomfortable and begin to ostracise him and complain to HR. There are even small minded requests to HR to transfer him out of the department.
Nobody ate his snacks anymore.
His manager, amid the pressure, caved in and transfer him from an IT analyst to the mailroom. His pay package and benefits remain unchanged but he lost his spirit and left eventually.
Shunned by his family, his country and now his coworkers, he almost took his life if not for a close knitted bunch of friends who supported him. It is a sad story, it could’ve been even sadder if a life is lost. Discrimination in a workplace where it is supposed to be safe is intolerable. His work ability has nothing to do with whatever he chose to do behind closed doors in his personal life.
My friends asked if the tables turn to me, if I am his manager, what would I have done. I’ll make sure that he is not discriminated, he gets his equal chances just like everyone else and pointed out to everyone that if anyone discriminated Tom, I can judge them too!
Because everyone is different from me, everyone is different from everybody and if by being different equals to be being judged harshly, everyone should discriminate each other and themselves.
Stop grouping together and attacking the minority.
Someone asked a personal question. What if Tom is my child? To that I reply, no matter what or who he is, I carried him for 9 months, I love him all the same.
I know this is a sensitive topic but I’m curious, what will be your answer? If you are the manager, what will you have done? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.
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MiddleMe 
We are all human, no matter what sex, or race, or any classification one wishes to name. Though demarcated by differences, they are ultimately superficial, a layer of lies concealing the truth we are collectively one, sharing the same dreams, aspirations, hopes, and tribulations, that with great striving, and perhaps even struggle, we may all face a future brighter than the cloudy past.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughtful statement. I do hope everyone thinks the same way.
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Couldn’t agree more with you, Kally ! We are ALL Beautiful Souls., regardless race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. XxX
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We are all the same and yet uniquely beautiful in our own ways, deserve to be respected and loved all the same. xoxoxoxo
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My answer would be why should a person’s sexual preferences be known at all in the workplace? Tom and all his colleagues are there to work. Tom’s sexuality has no bearing at all on his ability to do his job.
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That’s the sad reality. His workplace is prejudice and he is being treated unfairly but it is not stopped. Lucky for Tom, he has a strong and close web of support from his friends.
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Reblogged this on BCSBook Reviews and News and commented:
“Stop grouping together and attacking the minority.”
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Thank you for sharing this out!
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Thank you first this!
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Thank you for your comment!
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Here in Italy there is still a lot of discrimination, specially in small towns. Luckily, there are also a lot of people who don’t care if you are white or black, gay or ethero, tall or small: we are persons, that’s all.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Paola. The world is too small for discrimination when we have natural disasters and global warming issues.
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Right! Included Donald Trump and his corean “friend”
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I treat everyone the same. I am no respecter of persons. I love and care for everyone the same. It doesn’t matter their color of their skins, their sexual orientation, or religion/beliefs. I would have talked with the others in the department and we could have found a way to work together despite our differences. As a former manager I dealt with issues not as serious as this, but I would have dealt with this situation in the same manner as all the other situations I dealt with. Discrimination leads to hate and hate leads to the things going on in our world today. We need to promote more love. Love leads to unity and to decreasing hate and the things happening in our world today.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is very sincere and thoughtful. If the more people in the world thinks the same way as you and I do, the place will be a lot more peaceful. We need to focus on more crucial issues that is affecting the world, rather than to create and contribute to adding more problems.
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You’re welcome. Thank you. I agree there would be more peace. I totally agree. We do need to focus on the crucial issues that is affecting the world, rather than to create and contribute to adding more problems. I’m so glad we share the same thoughts on this.
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Totally! And you are awesome in your thoughts. We need peace not petty squabbles.
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Thank you. I totally we agree. We need peace for sure.
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Great thought provoking post….
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Thank you so much.
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