This post is on the BDSM Activism web board.
| Mon 23 Nov 09, 5:58 AM dave_j UK(L), 7 yrs  |
ok not strictly BDSM i know but likely to get more interest here than in the politics group. so anyway. i was browsing the parliament tv channel the other day and came across the census committee session. the thing that intrigued me and motivated me to post here was the attempt to include on the 2011 census a question asking for your sexual orientation. (and before you start ranting against the government, you may be surprised to know that the desire to include it was from the Equality & Human Rights Commision rather than our political overlords) and the one particular point that drew my attention was the mention of 'wehn the stakeholders felt it appropriate to bring up their sexual orientation' (or along those lines anyway). which leads to my question. when do you find it appropriate to mention? what sort of circumstances do you find it necessary?
they can have my FREEDOM when they pry it from my cold dead hands. | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:09 AM Superhero UK(BA), 4 yrs  |
Hi Dave et al,
As a bi man I am pretty careful who i discuss this with. I think being gay (or a bi woman) would be much easier. I am open about it in the BDSM community and with several good vanilla friends of mine. I a sure that no one in my family would have a major problem with it though. Also of all the people I have told no one has ever had a problem with it. In fact I have been slightly disappointed that no one has made a bigget issue of it. As a matter of principle I don't like the government knowing any of my business and do everything I can to obstruct their data gathering. I am sure that whoever wants to know this has positive or at least benign intentions towards bisexual people but I don't think they can ever represent my life. | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:18 AM BarbieSlutLoki UK(E), 6 yrs |
Ironically the only time the subject has come up was at an interview when I was asked "If there was any reason i wasn't married", so I just said I resented her line of questioning and walked out Enquiring about holding a munch I was asked if anyone was gay and I just said I dont know some probably, I dont have a habit of asking, but that was in a gay pub lol The first rule of Brat Club, we don't talk about Brat Club... | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:19 AM Belasarius UK(M), 8 yrs      |
I think this is an important post and I wish I had the courage to do something about it. My sexuality is my secret.. But I hope one day it need not be. I have huge admiration for those who are able to live openly and can discuss their orientation. I think it would be terrific if an option to include our sexuality was included in the census. I doubt it will happen. Patience is bitter - but its fruit is sweet. | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:38 AM fullysub UK(LE), 2 yrs |
Good question! I don't discuss my sexuality at work because it would DEFINITELY be a problem - I work with a bunch of bigoted homophobes. I really wish I didn't, but that't the construction industry I'm afraid. If pressed I would call myself bi, but that is a bit inadequate really. Bottom-sexual? Oral-sexual? Pansy-sexual? Sub-sexual? Pain-sexual... andrew ... the boy must be taught to feel the lash that falls and the curb that galls and the sting of the rowelled steel... | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:50 AM Dovetail UK, 3 yrs  |
I think that is OK provided the question is optional but have heard it will be mandatory. How far should a census go?
If it's a mandatory question I am proposing ticking practically everything I could be - I have the ability to be many things, but not necessarily at the same time. | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 7:57 AM dave_j UK(L), 7 yrs |
it was proposed to be mandatory i think yes, but there was plenty of opposition to that idea. i think the stance of the census office was that it would not be included anyway. the question though is what situations people would bring it up? whn do you think it appropriate or necessary to inform people whether you like arthur or martha. they can have my FREEDOM when they pry it from my cold dead hands. | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 8:05 AM DaddysTouch UK(RG), 3 yrs |
... What men in all the world have shown such daring? | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 8:16 AM Screwtape UK(DE), 4 yrs |
Another factor with this question is that the census is answered by the household so the person filling it in has to request the info from the others in the house. Whilst from a stictly scientific point of view it may be interesting to have these figures(although I am politically opposed to it) the method of collection will introduce a huge bias so the figures will be next to useless. All delegated power is trust, and all assumed power is usurpation- Thomas Paine, Rights of Man | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 8:17 AM Princess_Rebecca UK(EN), 6 yrs |
Since it'll be hard for them to prove you've made something up, why not tick whatever box takes your fancy, regardless of accuracy? Our work does yearly surveys that include a sexual orientation question and I put a different answer each year (usually taking full advantage of the 'other' section to write something a little less normal than usual - one year I gave 'confused' as an answer). Edited 23 Nov 09, 8:19 AM by Princess_Rebecca | ||
| 23 Nov 09, 9:30 AM Bubbles_2 UK(E), 6 yrs |
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