Why Policing Non-Action and Labeling it Prejudice is Damaging

Over the weekend, I made a mistake in getting dragged into a Twitter war. It's the most unwinnable and laborious task, and one that requires a thick skin to deal with the inevitable snide comments from strangers.

The war of words was off the back of an incident involving an "LGBT campaigner" and former England rugby star, Austin Healey. 

This weekend was Rainbow Laces weekend; a weekend of campaigning to highlight LGBT issues in sport, of which many still exist. It was uplifting to see positivity about the campaign and is an understated and effective way in raising awareness.

However, Austin Healey, while commentating on a Premiership rugby clash on BT Sport, didn't mention the Rainbow Laces campaign during his stint. This was his only crime, and it now seems this is punishable by being labelled "homophobic". 

Austin Healey now commentates on Premiership
rugby on BT Sport.

Let me be clear. Austin Healey didn't say anything homophobic while commentating. He didn't sit idly by and listen to a co-commentator being homophobic. He didn't insinuate anything homophobic in his coverage. In fact, he didn't say anything at all. This, according to the LGBT campaigner, was enough to label him a homophobe; and not only did he do that, he then published Austin Healey's private response asking him why he had been labeled as such to his tens of thousands of followers.

This enabled a pile on. More and more people piled into Healey and labeled him a homophobe, and for what? For NOT saying anything?

What kind of world are we now living in where saying nothing is comparable to true prejudice? 

Setting the threshold for homophobia so low threatens to alienate the very people we want to educate as LGBT campaigners. We must not forget that the majority of people are not homophobic in 2020. Setting the "Homophobia Bar" as low as "Not Saying Anything" categorises 90% of the population as homophobic; which is wholly untrue and frankly gross.

We are not fighting at the Stonewall Inn here; where aggression and demands were the only way forward towards acceptance. 

We are working on changing attitudes. To educate people that what they say and do can have an effect on the well-being of LGBT+ people. We do not need to harass and demand answers from people who say nothing. Otherwise, they will turn around and walk away. We cannot force people into becoming cheerleaders, and while the more allies, the better, forcing people to become allies potentially makes them uncomfortable and detracts from the entire point.

An example I use is from the NHS. We have a Rainbow Badge scheme; where employees sign up to wear the Rainbow Badge as a sign for LGBT+ patients that we are there to listen and won't be prejudiced against them.

The NHS knows that forcing people to wear the badge is detrimental to the entire point, so don't do it. What if a young person comes to A&E in crisis, and the first person they see is a badge wearer who doesn't know what to do? They're only wearing the badge because they've been forced to. It makes the situation much worse.

However, while the damage seems to be minimal in this case, instances like this threaten genuine careers. The cancel culture - as those online call it - polices people to the nth degree, and now it seems to have grown into non-action being policed and punished accordingly.

Going after individuals for not saying anything is a bizarre notion. I understand if Healey had said or done something homophobic; the LGBT campaigner would be within his rights to call him out on it. I might well have backed him up. but, we're not dealing with JK Rowling here. Austin Healey is a man being attacked for saying nothing.

I could even understand the attack if Healey had said nothing in response to perhaps a co-commentator saying something prejudiced.

But to say, "You're homophobic" on the basis of no content is not only odd, it is arguably slanderous. Unfortunately, it seems the LGBT campaigner may be in hot water, and if it does come to pass that this is taken further, I hope he learns a lesson in picking his battles.

I have the upmost respect for people who stand in the way of adversity and prejudice and fight, but all respect and credibility is lost if you go and look for battles that simply do not exist.

It pains me to quote a right-wing thinker, but quote him I must on this occasion. Douglas Murray - the author of 'The Madness of Crowds' - thinks there are some in the LGBT community who wish beyond all wishes they were fighting in the 1960's. 

"They foam at the mouth at the sheer prospect of a violent uprising, or to be a part of the Stonewall Inn riots, and are trying to create the same in the modern day, except the opposition isn't there."

Unfortunately, I am inclined to agree, and it makes me feel uneasy to do so. The majority of the population are on our side; they KNOW that homophobia is wrong. By grouping everyone who isn't outrageously vocal about it as homophobic has the potential to turn these supporters against us. 

How would you feel if you supported an issue but a know-it-all labeled you for not being vocal about it? And then posted it on social media so other people can shout it too? You're not going to nod accordingly and pick up a battle axe. You're going to feel disenchanted. You're going to feel angry. You're going to walk away and in the meantime, we've lost a potential ally.

As I type, we are nearing the end of '16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence'. 

By the very same logic used in this instance, Austin Healey has three days to denounce domestic violence, otherwise he is very much for women-beating.

See how ridiculous that sounds? There is no middle ground anymore. It's either you are a cheerleader for the cause or you are wholly against the cause. It is apparently becoming no longer acceptable to be left alone to live your life, and this is by far the most concerning aspect of the whole episode.

Oh, and as an aside, when I approached him about his comments, the LGBT campaigner called me a "cunt" and then blocked me. Only unblocking me to have another pop before blocking me for a second time.

Speaks volumes.