What to say when they say ...
Statement 1:
"Gays don't deserve the same benefits I get as a union member, because they aren't following society's rules. I say, no special rights for minorities."
Try This Response:
Gays and lesbians aren't asking for special rights. They are asking for an end to discrimination. They want to be paid what their heterosexual counterparts are paid (which includes benefits). Companies save money by denying benefits - why should they get away with this? As for 'not playing by the rules', we might well ask 'which rules', and 'who wrote the rules', as we are likely to find that the rules are filled with double standards (for example the rules are not the same for women as they are for men). In fact, unions are about challenging society's rules - rules which have meant that bosses dictate the terms and conditions of work to workers.
Statement 2:
"I don't care what people do outside of work, I just don't want to hear about it. Gays and lesbians should quit talking about their sex lives - and leave us alone."
Try This Response:
Gays and lesbians have learned (often the hard way), not to talk about their private lives unless they know they are around people who will be supportive. So, they generally keep pretty quiet during lunch breaks and coffee breaks, as heterosexuals talk about their husbands / wives / girlfriends / boyfriends, their marriage break ups, their dates, their sex lives, their joys and their squabbles. And gays and lesbians rarely bring their partners to union or company events.
Statement 3:
"Homosexuality is against my religion, so as a shop steward I have a right not to represent their issues."
Try This Response:
The union is not a religious organization. We have a legal responsibility (outlined in the Human Rights Code and in jurisprudence) to represent all of our members, including lesbian, gay and bisexual members. Furthermore, we stand for the principles 'An injury to one is an injury to all', and 'United we stand, divided we fall'. As trade unionists, we don't believe in 'equality for some'.
While a number of major religions have historically supported (and been involved in) the murder, torture, exclusion, 'conversion' of gays and lesbians, that is not true of all religions. Furthermore, many churches these days are struggling hard to come to terms with issues of sexuality, and have become much more inclusive.
Statement 4:
"I don't think our CAW banner should be in the Pride parade. It just lends them credibility, and it hurts us as activists. Besides, what will the media say?"
Try This Response:
For starters, carrying the CAW banner in the Pride Parade actually gives the CAW some credibility with the 10% of society excluded by most other groups. We could sure use that support. That's what coalition building is about. Secondly, we may want to take a lesson from Pride Parades - the 2001 parade in Toronto drew just under one million people - when was the last time labour organized an event that was so huge and so fun?
