Have you been required to attend cultural diversity classes by your employer?

Question

I work for a $1 Billion Fortune 500 company in the healthcare industry.

We recently had to attend a "cultural diversity class."

The class included presentations on homosexuality and acceptance of that lifestyle choice as "normal."

I am offended that I was forced to listen to this type of homosexual propaganda. I am offended that I am forced to "accept" or feign acceptance of a lifestyle which is counter to everything heterosexual.

Homosexuality is a choice. Homosexuality is unlike other diverse distinctions such as race or gender. No one chooses their race or gender, and so it should be wrong to discriminate against them.

To allow the choice of one's sexuality to be treated the same as an ethnic group or gender is ludicrous. What's next? Acceptance of all sexual deviations: pedophilia, necrophilia, beastiality?

Do you feel it is right for a company to force such views on its employees?

Do I have the legal right to opt out of such employee classes?

Answer 1

Yes. We had that one, sexual harrassment training, HIPAA, and Policies and Procedures. Then we returned to our office where all of the above were not being implemented correctly and went on with our work. It is a hypocritical farce.

Answer 2

You have the legal right to opt out, but your employer also has the legal right to fire you for doing so. Check local employment law first, to make sure, but in most places, the employer can require attendance at events such as the one you describe.

As to homosexuality, nobody has presented generally-accepted scientific (pyschological, genetic, etc.) evidence that homosexuality is either choice or a genetic trait, so it is unfair and unwise to draw conclusions and establish a point of view based on the assumption that it is a choice.

And even if it is a choice, so is religion, and if you've taken courses in diversity, they have probably also included respecting others' religions (a requirement in EEO and other non-discrimination legislation). Is it right to respect one's religious choice and not other choices they make (barring those which are illegal)?

Answer 3

Whether you like it or not, a person is a person. You are not allowed to discriminate against a person because they choose to love another person, it doesn't matter their gender. If you're caught up on the whole choice thing, people have the choice as to whether they want to break the law or not, and you are not allowed to discriminate against that either. or are you?

Your company isn't forcing an opinion on you, it was telling you the facts, it is against the law to discriminate against a person because of their sexual preference.

It very well may be legal for you to opt out of these training classes, but then it would be legal for your employer to terminate you.

Answer 4

You should definitely lose the name "Socrates" you nin-com-poop. For one thing, many studies show that sexual orientation is biological....gays or lesbians very often report being young kids and feeling a certain way even though they knew it was wrong....even though socialization, parents, society, etc, had always portrayed heterosexual as being "correct".

For another thing, do you think think because someone chooses something they should be allowed to be persecuted for it? Well I chose to Catholic, do you want to discriminate against me in your place of work?

And finally, your company was simply trying to promote tolerance and acceptance of "different" people who work at your place of business. Why must you judge people based on how you think things should be? Even if you're a religious person...you can use religion, the bible, etc to choose how to live YOUR OWN LIFE. But YOU ARE NOT THE JUDGE OF OTHERS! Leave it to your own God, Allah, Supreme Being to judge other people!

Your company diversity class was about tolerance for people different from you, and to promote peace and understanding at work. You're obviously a biggot so the seminar could never work for you. They should fire you for being ignorant.

- Jen (a HETEROSEXUAL who doesnt like prejudice)

Answer 5

I have had to attend them as a part of my education and I think they are wonderful. A little education never hurt anyone. They are they to teach acceptance. I am sure you talked about more than homosexuality. Be open and live a little... you spend a lot of your life with these people and learning how to accept them is not only better for you but for them companies growth as well.

Just like I did not choose to be african-american (something that I do not have an issue with) Homosexuals did not choose to be homosexuals.

Answer 6

I had a professor like that. i'm a really experienced writter, and he or she might want to mark my papers down reguardless. and that i know it replaced into unfair b/c my husband replaced into taking an analogous type with a diverse professor and aced it... and did not put in almost as a lot attempt as i did on the papers and initiatives. i basically had the type of professor who does no longer trust in giving As. i finished up with an 89.7. heavily.

Answer 7

Homosexuality is not a choice. Grow up and stop acting childish

Answer 8

Yes, it was a crock!
I don't think there is a way around not going.