Friday, April 03, 2009



Logical reply "homophobic"

A British councillor's gender joke led to a dressing down by police
"The question-and-answer session had started in unremarkable fashion. As the 50 members of the public at the police liaison meeting were handed their electronic handsets to take part in a survey, an official told them: 'Let's start with an easy question to get us going. 'Press A if you're male or B if you're female.'

But it seems nothing is ever that simple. Someone asked: 'What if you're transgendered?' 'You could press A and B together,' quipped Conservative councillor Jonathan Yardley.

And that's where the problems started. Unbeknown to Mr Yardley, the person who had asked the question was partner to a transgendered individual, also at the meeting. And although Mr Yardley believes others found his quip amusing, this couple certainly did not.

A complaint was made - and as a result, he was spoken to by police for his ' homophobic' remark. Yesterday, the 48-year-old councillor said: 'I went to meet a sergeant and an inspector who told me what I said could be homophobic and started giving me advice on what sort of humour I should engage in. 'They put me through the mill and asked me to confirm what I'd said and told me that a complaint had been made and I could be prosecuted.

'I find it ridiculous you can get in trouble over an off-the-cuff remark, with no malice intended. I didn't even know there was a transgender person there.

The married father of one, who was not arrested, added: 'I've been trying to get more police into my ward, Tettenhall Regis, where there are the usual problems of anti-social youths, burglary and car crime. It just adds to my frustration that the police have to deal with petty complaints like jokes.

Source

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't see anything wrong with what he answered. Then again, (thank God) i'm not British. BTW,

Exactly what is a transgender?

Is it simply the new PC word for abnormal?

Does this abhoration appear in any species other than leftists?

Why not use them to feed the hogs?

Dean said...

Good grief. Some people have absolutely no sense of humor. Especially the leftists. We are headed toward being a society in which people are afraid to laugh.

My condolences and support to Mr. Yardley.

Bobby said...

It wasn't homophobic, it was transphobic.

Transgendered people are men and women who want to become their opposite gender.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgendered

Anonymous said...

Phobia used to imply a fear, sounds to me like he was amused not afraid

Anonymous said...

So what's the right label for someone that tells a joke about transgender people?

Comedian.

The Times Observer said...

I don't know why I keep coming to this blog and read stories about England. It's pretty scary and it makes me wonder when America will adopt this extreme mindset.

And it's funny how some of the English call Americans uptight. Look at what they're doing to this poor guy.

I tell you what, Hitler was an idiot for bombing the hell out of London. He could have just stand back and waited about 65 years for the British to control themselves with an iron, Nazi-like grip.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry Times, Amerika isn't far behind Britain when it comes to being absurdly PC'ized and socialist. Just watch what happens in the next four years, assuming Obomber lasts that long.

Anonymous said...

As ought to be well known, the greek-derived word "phobia", as adopted into english and other modern languages, doesn't just mean "fear" but also 'strong dislike' or even 'hate'.
Using greek- and latin- sourced compound words is to acquire new uses and meanings for contemporary experiences - obviously!!