I recently attended a mandatory meeting for part time faculty at a private college where I am an instructor. This meeting was for "sensitivity" training on diversity issues. One part of this training was a session on LBGT individuals, and how we (non LBGT) can make them feel more comfortable and accepted in the school environment. The activities were based on forcing us (non LBGT) to see how these poor individuals are discriminated against, and how they deserve to be treated so much better, even given special treatment.
There was no consideration given to the discomfort that discussion of this subject matter causes, to persons that believe this is not a fit subject for public conversation in mixed gender situations.
The next session was a study of stereotypes based on racial and ethnic factors. A clip of a film named "Crash" was shown, and discussion was then started. This film is loaded with the "F Word", and was offensive to many of the audience because of the obscenities and crudeness contained in it. When I stated my objection to being forced to view this film in a public setting, I was told by the Dean that he "respected my opinion, but did not agree with it". This was a blatant lie, because he warned people before showing the film that it contained offensive language; he did not offer to let those who would be offended to skip the viewing.
He wants the religious and morally principled individuals to accept and condone language and behaviour that is offensive at fundamental levels, in the name of diversity.
The language that we were forced to listen to would be considered sexual harassment in a normal business working environment, and the forced attendance at a sexually oriented meeting would certainly be considered a hostile working environment, if not sexual harassment.
The only group that it is OK to discriminate against now, is the fundamentally religious and faith based morality group.
The Dean commented that none of the students had expressed an objection to the language in that film clip. He seemed to be oblivious to the discomfort of the older adults in the audience, and dismissive of criticism toward his selection of obscenity as a means of getting his point across. I was the only person to express an objection to the language, but several attendees thanked me after the meeting was dismissed. If mature adults are afraid to disagree with an authority figure, it is no wonder that no student would object to him.
In my opinion, this LBGT diversity training is a farce, intended to protect the company or institution from lawsuits brought by people seeking special status, to make themselves feel normal and accepted. They know that their sexual orientaion is not normal, and not accepted by the majority, but they want to force others to grant them that status regardless of the rights of the majority.
