Was the National Trust right to reverse its policy forcing volunteers to wear LGBTQ lanyards and badges?
Felbrigg Hall. Photo: Cheryl Dye/citizenside.com - Credit: citizenside.com
The National Trust hit headlines this week after a conflict with a group of volunteers at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk.
Volunteers were asked to wear LGBTQ pride lanyards and badges to support the Prejudice and Pride campaign, which saw the National Trust revealing information about the private life of Felbrigg's Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer.
In a new film narrated by Stephen Fry, the Trust outed Mr Ketton-Cremer as gay, exploring the squire's secret struggle as a homosexual man.
Felbrigg volunteers who took objection to the exposure of their benefactors' sexuality and refused to support the campaign were originally told 'they would not be allowed face to face interaction with the public'.
The Trust has since backed down, saying the wearing of the lanyards and badges was 'optional and a personal choice' and that it would not affect people's duties if they chose not to.
Following the u-turn, many people took to social media to share their thoughts. Here's a look at some of the comments:
Angie Curtis
Most Read
- 1 M&S to close 32 stores as part of move away from town centres
- 2 WATCH: 'Unplayable' delivery from Suffolk bowler goes viral
- 3 Farmer says cousin's wedding venue will bring 'criminal activity'
- 4 Norfolk garden centre wins 27th gold medal at Chelsea Flower Show
- 5 The best places to eat in north Norfolk according to The Good Food Guide
- 6 Man dies of collapsed lung after 'busy' hospital meant x-ray was missed
- 7 Green light for new Sainsbury's store on 850-home estate
- 8 Factory worker was found dead at home, court told
- 9 Major road to close for resurfacing works costing £81,000
- 10 Norwich man wins jackpot on BBC game show Pointless
'Must be desperate for volunteers... If they don't want to show support let them go, there must be plenty of other who will.'
Neil Flowers
'NT choose to support the LGBTQ's campaign by making these badges and lanyards part of their uniform. Presumably in order to volunteer you must wear the uniform. If you don't want to, for whatever reason, don't volunteer.'
Debra Roberts
'No one should be forced to wear anything, unless there is a health and safety reason. We live in a democratic country, and a free to make our own decisions about what we support.'
Scott King
'Common sense prevails! The National Trust had no business revealing the preference of the squire who, as volunteers have stated, was a private person. It's that which they objected to, nothing to do with the LGBT community.'
• Do you think the Trust was right to reverse its policy? Vote in our poll.