I agree that anti-gay policies do not belong in government hiring and promotion. Private businesses, on the other hand, should be free to engage in whatever hiring practices they choose, without the government breathing down their necks, demanding to know how many women, minorities, gay people, and so on, they have in their employ, and what steps they're going to take to "rectify" any perceived imbalances.
Laws that attempt to dictate how businesses are run are inconsistent with a free society. They're also enforced in America in a blatantly discriminatory manner: all-woman businesses, all-black businesses, all-gay businesses can trumpet proudly that they hire only from their favored group without any fear of legal consequences, but just imagine a company seeking to hire only straight white men! The screaming would be heard thousands of miles away, and lawsuits would quickly follow. This is rank hypocrisy.
So a company should be allowed to refuse employment to a gay man because he’s gay? What are you getting at? This article has nothing to do with affirmative action. You’re spoiling for a fight.
Great piece, Jamie, as always. A couple of thoughts:
(1) Kameny's courage. Today it seems almost cliché when some praises a gay person for speaking openly about their sexuality. And maybe in certain circumstances it is, but now there is a huge support network. What guts Frank Kameny had. When he spoke out, it was truly courageous.
I agree that anti-gay policies do not belong in government hiring and promotion. Private businesses, on the other hand, should be free to engage in whatever hiring practices they choose, without the government breathing down their necks, demanding to know how many women, minorities, gay people, and so on, they have in their employ, and what steps they're going to take to "rectify" any perceived imbalances.
Laws that attempt to dictate how businesses are run are inconsistent with a free society. They're also enforced in America in a blatantly discriminatory manner: all-woman businesses, all-black businesses, all-gay businesses can trumpet proudly that they hire only from their favored group without any fear of legal consequences, but just imagine a company seeking to hire only straight white men! The screaming would be heard thousands of miles away, and lawsuits would quickly follow. This is rank hypocrisy.
I came here to say the same thing.
So a company should be allowed to refuse employment to a gay man because he’s gay? What are you getting at? This article has nothing to do with affirmative action. You’re spoiling for a fight.
Great piece, Jamie, as always. A couple of thoughts:
(1) Kameny's courage. Today it seems almost cliché when some praises a gay person for speaking openly about their sexuality. And maybe in certain circumstances it is, but now there is a huge support network. What guts Frank Kameny had. When he spoke out, it was truly courageous.
(2) On memory and serendipity. Just before this piece landed in my in-box, I was doing some research to counter the revisionist narrative of Stonewall. I recalled you had written something on that, so I googled. Your 2019 piece on Kameny popped up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stonewall-wasnt-the-start-of-the-gay-rights-struggle-11561176061
Thanks for you ongoing work to remind us of this good man's courage and accomplishments.