Check out this YouTube clip about a self-proclaimed Christian who was fired for telling his lesbian colleague that he disapproved of her “homosexual lifestyle”.
To be blunt: I think this dude’s an ass. I don’t agree with his stance on homosexuality one iota. But should he have been fired for voicing his opinion?
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Well I have worked for a lot of homophobic assholes. Basically keeping your mouth shut and finding a better job is the way to function in the workplace. I don’t have to like my boss or sing kumbaya at the office. I just want my damn paycheck.
I don’t think this has anything to do with your religion or your sexual orientation it is just common sense telling your boss you think he/she is a pervert or asshole will probably get your ass fired right or wrong.
So this guy is basically a idiotic attention whore much like that beauty pageant lady with the big mouth.
“You are reporting fair and square.. this is Fox News”
ROFLMFAO
From the limited info, she seems to be just mentioning her partner in everyday conversation – in my experience that is what a lot of people talk about at work. She should be free to do that.
As to whether he should have been fired.. it is hard to grab all the info from that sound bite, I would assume he has had to have said/done something fairly iffy to actually get fired for it.
I mean if he has simply said I am uncomfortable discussing your partner can we speak about other things and he was fired on that, then no. But if he went all preachy on her (which it sounds to me like he did – but it a short grab) and basically told her off because of who she is.. It’s a different kettle of fish.
Buh it is a hard call on limited info, and I am also prejudiced, but I think she is in the right with not doing anything out of the ordinary, and he IMO doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
I am an atheist I have to swallow my tongue and my beliefs (or non beliefs) a lot, especially in retail at this time of the year.. I don’t think having a co-worker talk about their partner is too much IYKWIM?
I really need to refine my thoughts a bit, Teddypig said it so much more succinctly.. slinking back to my hidey hole now.
I don’t do this sort of law (employment discrimination), but in most states his sort of employment would be “at-will,” meaning he can be fired for almost any reason. To prove that he was fired for being Christian — as opposed to being, say, an ass — he’d have to show that Brookstone had fired other Christians, including Christians who had said nothing about gay marriage.
Oh, and he lives/works in Massachusetts? Where same-sex marriage is completely legal? Oh, he’s got NO case at all. Under the laws of the Commonwealth, his manager’s conversations about her fiancee were the legal equivalent of a male manager talking about his fiancee. So Peter’s the one guilty of discrimination, as he obviously he wouldn’t have commented on a male manager’s engagement to a female.
Plus, he doesn’t have a First Amendment argument, as that only applies to free speech abridged by governmental measures. Any employer’s arbitrary dress code, for example, could be argued to be abridging free speech, but the First Amendment doesn’t care because the employment of an individual by a private company is not a governmental matter. (And don’t get me started on the separation of church and state…!)
Me? If I had to defend Brookstone, I’d present evidence that this guy was a jerk and unpleasant to work with, and that’s why he was fired. All Brookstone has to show is that the gay manager was more valuable to them than Peter. Case closed.
Not that I do that kind of law, you understand…
@Teddypig
Yeah, what TP said.
Don’t get me wrong, all bosses are bastards. But, Sweet Lamb of God, spare me from sanctimonious, in-your-face “Christians”. I’d fire that asshole for “going to the Chapel to briefly pray about it” (during working hours) before confronting his gay coworker. He was proselytizing to her to save her from what he perceives as her ‘sin’. And you just know he’s seeing dollar signs in his future and a lucrative court case against Brookstone.
I think the guy’s a media hound. If he really wanted to keep his job, he should have known better.
@Teddypig Well said! Anyone with a modicum of sense knows to avoid topics such as religion and politics in the workplace.
@Edie I also laughed at the part about FOX News representing fair and balanced reporting!
@Magdalen Interesting. I didn’t realize Massachusetts allowed same-sex marriage. I’m still amazed that oh-so-liberal California banned it. I’m also looking at this from a European perspective. It’s less easy to fire someone here – at least in the countries I’ve worked in. I don’t know if they’d be able to fire Peter without giving him a formal warning. The only person I know who got fired on the spot with no severance pay was a fellow teacher who had a relationship with an underage student.
@Keishon Yep, TP put it perfectly.
@Trish I have no problem with Peter being a Christian. I just don’t think his religious beliefs excuse his being rude to a co-worker.
@heidenkind Exactly. I wonder how his case will fare if he does sue…