Being gay on the railways

[ST]

Great to hear.....thank you.

 

[theironroad]

I can't speak for all sectors of the railway obviously , but in my experience there is certainly some low level homophobia in mess rooms. Comments and remarks which you'd think belong to previous generations still occur and it's not always the 'old dinosaurs' but younger people.

Sure it could be worse, but I think there is still some hidden discrimination from some sectors.

 

[AntoniC]

True story time ...
I am a Civil Servant who works in a large office and I am chubby and I am NOT interested in having any sexual relationship with anyone.
One day one of my friends says to me "Toni if you went to the gym and lost some weight you could import one of those Thai mail order brides"
My response to him was "Who says I like women ??" which absolutely shut him down.
Good luck in your chosen career !

 

[martin2345uk]

With friends like that who needs enemies eh!

 

[big all]

True story time ...
I am a Civil Servant who works in a large office and I am chubby and I am NOT interested in having any sexual relationship with anyone.
One day one of my friends says to me "Toni if you went to the gym and lost some weight you could import one of those Thai mail order brides"
My response to him was "Who says I like women ??" which absolutely shut him down.
Good luck in your chosen career !

theres a fine line between caring and meddeling
people assume what works for them should also be what you aspire too

 

[AntoniC]

With friends like that who needs enemies eh!

theres a fine line between caring and meddeling
people assume what works for them should also be what you aspire too

Thanks guys - both statements are very true ...

 

[fabs]

Gay, straight, black, white, Rangers or Celtic; if you do your job, look out for your mates/colleagues and be a team player you’ll get on just fine.
You’ll probably find no one even gives your sexuality a second thought.

 

[Aictos]

In a decade, have come across very many openly gay colleagues, and can't think of an incident I would describe as even close to homophobic - not even 'banter'.

The world has changed, very much for the better.

You won't have a problem.

Indeed, nobody bats a eyelid nowadays at people's sexuality except for these bigot idiots which you get anywhere who have a issue with anyone be it their race, sex, hair colour and there's not much you can do about that minority but as to the railways you ain't got to worry.

 

[Crazyb]

Sorry if this seems a weird thread… but it's been playing on my mind a bit, and a friend brought it up today which has made me want to ask the question.

So I am in the pool for a Freightliner trainee driver job. As an openly gay guy who has only ever worked in an office, for a pretty diverse company, I've never really experience direct prejudice against me for my sexuality.

I have genuinely no idea what the prevailing attitudes are towards this kind of thing on the railways, especially the freight sector, but I'm just a tiny bit worried about it, if I am totally honest, and just wondered if anyone here had any experience or thoughts either way...?

thanks...

Michele was a driver at Ipswich Freightliner, she was previously a guy......She done the change donkey years ago. There was also a shunter back in the 80's who dressed up in high heels and stockings. I think I used to drop him off at Upper Holloway......Now days it doesn't matter who you are, I think we have moved on from the Victorian days.

 

[theironroad]

It would be interesting to know how many people posting on this thread actually work on the daily railways and also are guards or drivers . There's a lot of policy statement speak going on here, often a lack experience.

 

[Mag_seven]

It would be interesting to know how many people posting on this thread actually work on the daily railways and also are guards or drivers . There's a lot of policy statement speak going on here, often a lack experience.

Well in my 26 years on the railway (I retired recently) I've had a gay boss, a gay direct report and at least three gay colleagues. In all cases their sexuality was not an issue and they just got on with the job without reference to any "policy statement speak" as you call it.

 

[Whistlekiller]

Sorry if this seems a weird thread… but it's been playing on my mind a bit, and a friend brought it up today which has made me want to ask the question.

So I am in the pool for a Freightliner trainee driver job. As an openly gay guy who has only ever worked in an office, for a pretty diverse company, I've never really experience direct prejudice against me for my sexuality.

I have genuinely no idea what the prevailing attitudes are towards this kind of thing on the railways, especially the freight sector, but I'm just a tiny bit worried about it, if I am totally honest, and just wondered if anyone here had any experience or thoughts either way...?

thanks...

You're no different to anybody else. They need to realise that - and so do you. I'm a big fan of inclusivity above differentiation. When everybody gets that, it'll be hunky-dory.

 

[martin2345uk]

You're no different to anybody else. They need to realise that - and so do you. I'm a big fan of inclusivity above differentiation. When everybody gets that, it'll be hunky-dory.

Oh I do realise it, but the sad truth is I still can’t walk down the street holding hands with my other half without getting nasty comments, so still a way to go...

 

[theironroad]

Well in my 26 years on the railway (I retired recently) I've had a gay boss, a gay direct report and at least three gay colleagues. In all cases their sexuality was not an issue and they just got on with the job without reference to any "policy statement speak" as you call it.

What role/grade were you?

 

[big all]

Oh I do realise it, but the sad truth is I still can’t walk down the street holding hands with my other half without getting nasty comments, so still a way to go...

best to make allowances its the way off the world
i am sure there are some things that annoy you and get your back up that can often be a bit of intolerance on your behalfe
we are prejitised to some extent i like to think i am the most freindly person toward minorities and the most accepting person in the world but the simple fact is each un known situation needs thorough research to understand its a mine field
the main point i am making is be thick skinned do not take anything as personal and understand most people are not evil they may be unsubtle or even " oldfasioned " not pc but you build freindships and acceptance by being well freindly and overlooking older people that wont actually be evil and intolerant just not sure how to interact with peoplle within there life have been portrayed as being devient and something to be wary off in other words smile be freindly you put people at ease there predijices given to them by the ignorant in society will soon go away

 

[Jonfun]

It would be interesting to know how many people posting on this thread actually work on the daily railways and also are guards or drivers . There's a lot of policy statement speak going on here, often a lack experience.

The railways don't revolve around Guards and Drivers though. I've no reason to doubt their experience would be much different to station staff, cleaners, catering staff, revenue inspectors or any other frontline grade.

 

[theironroad]

The railways don't revolve around Guards and Drivers though. I've no reason to doubt their experience would be much different to station staff, cleaners, catering staff, revenue inspectors or any other frontline grade.

I've never claimed that the 'railways revolve around drivers and guards' but as the original question was from a prospective driver it is pretty relevant. I'm afraid if you think every frontline grade is similar, then you're mistaken.

There's a lot of stuff on here being posted by people who have no direct experience, just want they think it should be like.

 

[Intermodal]

I've never claimed that the 'railways revolve around drivers and guards' but as the original question was from a prospective driver it is pretty relevant. I'm afraid if you think every frontline grade is similar, then you're mistaken.

There's a lot of stuff on here being posted by people who have no direct experience, just want they think it should be like.

I think you have to accept that it is different everywhere. You have said you observe homophobia in mess rooms, and surely that is true.

I have said I don't, and that is also true.

To clarify, when I say I "don't", I mean I don't experience it anymore than I would expect to anywhere else - so the level of acceptance is about the average for anywhere in the UK these days. That is not to say that some are not homophobes - but there aren't any more of them than you'd find outside the railway and generally they realise that they can't make a big song or dance about it anymore.

 

[Jonfun]

I've never claimed that the 'railways revolve around drivers and guards' but as the original question was from a prospective driver it is pretty relevant. I'm afraid if you think every frontline grade is similar, then you're mistaken.

There's a lot of stuff on here being posted by people who have no direct experience, just want they think it should be like.

These days it's less likely to differ by grade, more by company. Each business has its own take on inclusion and how they recruit different types of people and those values tend to be the same whether they're taking on a Driver or someone working the ticket gates.

I'm not "mistaken" - but I can only speak from my experience at my TOC, if in your business there's a problem with homophobia that's a real shame but don't let people think it's common practice across the industry because it isn't.

Even in the best business in the world there's always a risk of someone being homophobic, the real key is making sure such issues are quickly closed down. In an industry like the railways where the workforce is heavily unionised and us gays are open, visible, and happy to stand up and be counted, there's less of a likelihood that negative things will be swept under the carpet or sidelined.

 

[big all]

it doesnt matter where you work
how good the policies are
how forward thinking the employer is
you will always get vast variations in implimentation
with understanding and effort given to enforce the rules often having far more effect than policy statement

in general within an an organization everyones contribution is as valuable as everyone elses to keep the cogs working
now some rolls are more crutcial as in if your not there a train or trains wont run but other well respected members off the team can be covered by others or not crutial to a train running safely
another point noting at least when i was a driver up to 94 was drivers and some other groups where better organzied and more likely to be in a union than other groups so better reprisented

 

[Jimbo12345]

Sorry if this seems a weird thread… but it's been playing on my mind a bit, and a friend brought it up today which has made me want to ask the question.

So I am in the pool for a Freightliner trainee driver job. As an openly gay guy who has only ever worked in an office, for a pretty diverse company, I've never really experience direct prejudice against me for my sexuality.

I have genuinely no idea what the prevailing attitudes are towards this kind of thing on the railways, especially the freight sector, but I'm just a tiny bit worried about it, if I am totally honest, and just wondered if anyone here had any experience or thoughts either way...?

thanks...

Personally I think you need to prepare for a massive culture change (shock). Whilst I don’t think descrimination is the correct word you need to be aware the railways are still deeply old fashioned in pretty much everything (culture, staff, polices and procedures) - from my experience they don’t yet represent a truely “diverse” workplace, especially in the driver grade - at HQ maybe it’s a different storey, who knows. It’s also worth noting that once qualified the driver grade is essentially a pretty solitary role with little...sometimes no interaction with other colleagues...very different if you are used to an office environment in a diverse company.

 

[Strathclyder]

I don't work for the railways, but as someone who is also openly gay (obvious signature is obvious lol), I can only echo the previous posts upthread; as long as you do your job well, look out for your colleagues and be a team player, you'll be fine. Much like you, I don't talk about it unless directly asked (the only outward clue is the presence of two Pride wristbands, one on each arm); am very open about who I am when asked.

Anywho, I wish you all the best in your career going forward.

 

[martin2345uk]

Personally I think you need to prepare for a massive culture change (shock). Whilst I don’t think descrimination is the correct word you need to be aware the railways are still deeply old fashioned in pretty much everything (culture, staff, polices and procedures) - from my experience they don’t yet represent a truely “diverse” workplace, especially in the driver grade - at HQ maybe it’s a different storey, who knows. It’s also worth noting that once qualified the driver grade is essentially a pretty solitary role with little...sometimes no interaction with other colleagues...very different if you are used to an office environment in a diverse company.

Hell yeah, I’m expecting to be quite terrifyingly different to anything I’ve done before. I know I’m taking a risk, but I’d rather take a risk and have it not work out than never give it a go and always be wondering ‘what if’...

 

[theironroad]

Hell yeah, I’m expecting to be quite terrifyingly different to anything I’ve done before. I know I’m taking a risk, but I’d rather take a risk and have it not work out than never give it a go and always be wondering ‘what if’...

Go for it and the best of luck.

Despite my comments upthread, I've being doing it a few years so can't be all bad lol