5 ms·

I’m LGBTQ, and I am not a federally protected class. It is legal to fire me for my identity in many states, and the current republicans in power are continuing

I’m LGBTQ, and I am not a federally protected class. It is legal to fire me for my identity in many states, and the current republicans in power are continuing to make it legal and condoned to discriminate against LGBTQ people at the federal level- rolling back several policies that benefited marginalized folks along this umbrella. These changes happen with very little fanfare or any notification safe for observant reporters and the spread of social media. I find this comment overtly dismissing that there might be very real, legitimate reasons to be keyed into social media and the news.

dabbledash 7y ago
I find that catching up on what’s going on once every week or so provides enough information to make the decisions I can. Social media, in contrast, serves up a sub 24 hour news cycle that prevents focus and produces emotional exhaustion and constant anxiety. I’m sure there are people for whom it’s valuable (e.g. if immigration raids could affect you directly), but for members of most groups, being plugged in all time probably does more harm than good.
- SolaceQuantum 7y ago
  And I am simply arguing that that is not always the case and the original statement, that it is a privilege to be able to unplug from news and social media, may be true given that I as an LGBTQ person often feel the need to keep abreast of new and rarely-covered updates to local and federal policy that are associated with LGBTQ issues. For example, the department of labor moving through fairly recently to make it legal for federal contractors to fire LGBTQ or unmarried pregnant women on the grounds of religious beliefs.
  - dabbledash 7y ago
    Did you change anything about your behavior immediately when you found that out? I’m saying the high proportion of button-pushing click-bait and the low probability that I need any particular info in real time means i’ll be better off getting news through other sources. You don’t win a war by maximizing fear, outrage, and low quality info on your own side (which, IMO, social media does). YMMV, obviously. What do I know?
    - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
      > Did you change anything about your behavior immediately when you found that out? Yes. I removed any involvement with LGBTQ organizations off my resume.
      - dabbledash 7y ago
        That sucks. I’m sorry you have to deal with that shit. So far, I haven’t run into any “shit, if only I had known that five days ago!” situations. I doubt I ever will, no matter how hostile the current administration is to women. But who knows; you pays your money and you takes your choice.
anon12345690 7y ago
well a problem is that lgbtq doesnt belong together anyway because what are you fighting for? sexual orientation or gender identity? those are really different and are people really being fired for it?
- scoobyyabbadoo 7y ago
  >are really different and are people really being fired for it? Absolutely not. The nice thing about being LGBTQPA+* is all the constitutional lawyers that will take your case pro-bono to persecute anyone you can speculatively accuse of discerning something about you. If you are straight then there is basically no such free help available to protect your rights, and have fun trying to bring something up to the supreme court all by yourself if you don't want to be forced to express homophilic opinions.
  - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
    Actually, as I said, it is legal to discriminate against LGBTQ people in much of the country and the federal government had recently rolled back protections for LGBTQ people. Lawyers are not going to take pro bono cases because LGBTQ status is not constitutionally or federally protected.
    - scoobyyabbadoo 7y ago
      Care to give any example of this happening?
      - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
        Yes. This is a case the supreme court refused to hear in 2017 of a woman who claims to have been fired for being a lesbian. https://www.newsweek.com/jameka-evans-lgbt-workplace-discrimination-scotus-744636 https://www.newsweek.com/jameka-evans-lgbt-workplace-discrim... Here is a case in 2014 of a man who was fired because his new manager went through his phone and found male gymnast photos. https://www.npr.org/2014/11/10/363049315/for-people-fired-for-being-gay-old-court-case-becomes-a-new-tool https://www.npr.org/2014/11/10/363049315/for-people-fired-fo... Here are 5 more examples: https://www.mic.com/articles/11738/5-people-who-were-fired-for-being-gay-and-the-29-states-where-that-is-still-legal https://www.mic.com/articles/11738/5-people-who-were-fired-f... That links to a study citing that american LGBTQ people experience much higher rates of workplace discrimination: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2011/06/02/9872/gay-and-transgender-people-face-high-rates-of-workplace-discrimination-and-harassment/ https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2011/06/02...
Aloha 7y ago
I'm also LGBTQ - and I believe effectively we're being used a pawn to score points with the conservative base. Employment protections I believe do very little, because in most states you can fire someone for any reason, or no reason at all. It's a law that effectively only punishes stupid people.

dabbledash 7y ago

I find that catching up on what’s going on once every week or so provides enough information to make the decisions I can. Social media, in contrast, serves up a sub 24 hour news cycle that prevents focus and produces emotional exhaustion and constant anxiety. I’m sure there are people for whom it’s valuable (e.g. if immigration raids could affect you directly), but for members of most groups, being plugged in all time probably does more harm than good.

SolaceQuantum 7y ago
And I am simply arguing that that is not always the case and the original statement, that it is a privilege to be able to unplug from news and social media, may be true given that I as an LGBTQ person often feel the need to keep abreast of new and rarely-covered updates to local and federal policy that are associated with LGBTQ issues. For example, the department of labor moving through fairly recently to make it legal for federal contractors to fire LGBTQ or unmarried pregnant women on the grounds of religious beliefs.
- dabbledash 7y ago
  Did you change anything about your behavior immediately when you found that out? I’m saying the high proportion of button-pushing click-bait and the low probability that I need any particular info in real time means i’ll be better off getting news through other sources. You don’t win a war by maximizing fear, outrage, and low quality info on your own side (which, IMO, social media does). YMMV, obviously. What do I know?
  - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
    > Did you change anything about your behavior immediately when you found that out? Yes. I removed any involvement with LGBTQ organizations off my resume.
    - dabbledash 7y ago
      That sucks. I’m sorry you have to deal with that shit. So far, I haven’t run into any “shit, if only I had known that five days ago!” situations. I doubt I ever will, no matter how hostile the current administration is to women. But who knows; you pays your money and you takes your choice.

anon12345690 7y ago

well a problem is that lgbtq doesnt belong together anyway because what are you fighting for? sexual orientation or gender identity? those are really different and are people really being fired for it?

scoobyyabbadoo 7y ago
>are really different and are people really being fired for it? Absolutely not. The nice thing about being LGBTQPA+* is all the constitutional lawyers that will take your case pro-bono to persecute anyone you can speculatively accuse of discerning something about you. If you are straight then there is basically no such free help available to protect your rights, and have fun trying to bring something up to the supreme court all by yourself if you don't want to be forced to express homophilic opinions.
- SolaceQuantum 7y ago
  Actually, as I said, it is legal to discriminate against LGBTQ people in much of the country and the federal government had recently rolled back protections for LGBTQ people. Lawyers are not going to take pro bono cases because LGBTQ status is not constitutionally or federally protected.
  - scoobyyabbadoo 7y ago
    Care to give any example of this happening?
    - SolaceQuantum 7y ago
      Yes. This is a case the supreme court refused to hear in 2017 of a woman who claims to have been fired for being a lesbian. https://www.newsweek.com/jameka-evans-lgbt-workplace-discrimination-scotus-744636 https://www.newsweek.com/jameka-evans-lgbt-workplace-discrim... Here is a case in 2014 of a man who was fired because his new manager went through his phone and found male gymnast photos. https://www.npr.org/2014/11/10/363049315/for-people-fired-for-being-gay-old-court-case-becomes-a-new-tool https://www.npr.org/2014/11/10/363049315/for-people-fired-fo... Here are 5 more examples: https://www.mic.com/articles/11738/5-people-who-were-fired-for-being-gay-and-the-29-states-where-that-is-still-legal https://www.mic.com/articles/11738/5-people-who-were-fired-f... That links to a study citing that american LGBTQ people experience much higher rates of workplace discrimination: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2011/06/02/9872/gay-and-transgender-people-face-high-rates-of-workplace-discrimination-and-harassment/ https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2011/06/02...

Aloha 7y ago

I'm also LGBTQ - and I believe effectively we're being used a pawn to score points with the conservative base. Employment protections I believe do very little, because in most states you can fire someone for any reason, or no reason at all. It's a law that effectively only punishes stupid people.