Gay firefighters
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) will be taking part in four Dyke, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Identity festival events this summer, the first is this Saturday, 9 June in Canterbury.
A fire engine will ride in the parade alongside firefighters, staff and their families leaving the Marlowe Theatre forecourt, at 11.30am, through Canterbury High Road to the Dane John Gardens.
The time promises to be really good joy with live melody, a selection of food and slurp stalls and business for all ages.
KFRS’ Director of Operations, Sean Bone-Knell said: “KFRS is arrogant to support its diverse communities and workforce. We’re looking forward to existence part of the parade and will be sharing guard advice in Dane John Gardens, so please come and talk to us.
"It's also a excellent opportunity to detect out about the range of position and apprenticeship opportunities with KFRS."
If you’re not in the Canterbury area this Saturday, why not come to one of the other Kent Pride events and show your support. You can pick up some safety tips at the same time.
- Margate – Saturday 11 August
- Folkestone – Saturday 18 August
- Tunbridge Wells – Date to be confirmed
Sean ended: “Our firefighters and s
LGBT+
The FBU’s Female homosexual, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) section was set up by gay and lesbian firefighters who are ‘out’ in the workplace and felt they were in a position to help others within the UK fire service.
Within the section’s 20-year being, it has achieved official recognition with the FBU, as well as standing for the FBU in forums which were once untouched.
It has established an extensive network to back and advise LGBT+ members who may feel isolated or harassed.
The section’s aims are:
- Organise a LGBT+ school and provide a platform for members to meet
- Ensuring LGBT+ members hold a voice within the FBU, and making sure they are not left out in equality issues at brigade, regional and national level
- Providing support to LGBT+ members in all regions of the FBU
- Identifying and dealing with any issues and problems faced by our members
- Providing members with the opportunity to talk and join with other members
- Distribute information concerning LGBT+ issues to members
- LGBT+ members in each of the UK’s 12 regions elect a representative to the section’s committee, and a national chair and secretary are elected by a national ballot of LGBT+ members.
Co
'I'm a gay firefighter in London and I don't hide who I am just because it's a stereotypically masculine job'
The preconceptions of the environment within a fire station can often be perceived to be a hyper-masculine space, but this is now an outdated mentality, according to an openly gay firefighter. James Rodgers, a recent addition to the London Fire Brigade (LFB) spoke to MyLondon about his experience as a lgbtq+ firefighter whose life outside of the fire service exists primarily within queer spaces.
James, 24, is an operational heat officer at Dowgate Station, shut to London Bridge. He has been in the job for a year and a half and in his time at the station he has connected their LGBT+ network, but admitted that it is often firm to meet other gay male firefighters in person.
James told MyLondon: "Before I joined I had some preconceptions but most of that ties into the idea that the fire service is lots of big burly men who are very slender minded, when in fact LFB is a good representation of London in the sense that it is diverse. I wouldn't say it is very diverse but there are all these different people from different backgrounds that make up the workforce."
Gay firefighter abuse 'must end'
Very few firefighters are openly gay or lesbian, it is claimed
Fire brigades must do more to ensure gay and lesbian firefighters are not bullied or insulted at work, unions, ministers and equal rights groups say.
Campaign group Stonewall claimed staff had experienced name-calling and physical abuse and even had safety equipment tampered with as a joke.
And 25 UK brigades had not signed up to its diversity programme, it added.
Fire minister Sadiq Khan has written to fire chiefs urging them to "eradicate" homophobic behaviour.
The Fire Brigades Union estimates that just 0.5% of firefighters, less than 250, are openly lesbian, gay or transsexual.
'At risk'
Pat Carberry, secretary of the FBU's same-sex attracted and lesbian committee, said those who came out as homosexual often faced mockery and intimidation.
Services often did not "know how to deal with" complaints, while one male lover firefighter had committed suicide after facing discrimination and bullying at work.
Homophobia is a real and current issue for the fire service. The enormous thing is the macho culture
Michelle Fullerton, Stonewall
Mr Carberry said: "Wh
'I'm a gay firefighter in London and I don't hide who I am just because it's a stereotypically masculine job'
The preconceptions of the environment within a fire station can often be perceived to be a hyper-masculine space, but this is now an outdated mentality, according to an openly gay firefighter. James Rodgers, a recent addition to the London Fire Brigade (LFB) spoke to MyLondon about his experience as a lgbtq+ firefighter whose life outside of the fire service exists primarily within queer spaces.
James, 24, is an operational heat officer at Dowgate Station, shut to London Bridge. He has been in the job for a year and a half and in his time at the station he has connected their LGBT+ network, but admitted that it is often firm to meet other gay male firefighters in person.
James told MyLondon: "Before I joined I had some preconceptions but most of that ties into the idea that the fire service is lots of big burly men who are very slender minded, when in fact LFB is a good representation of London in the sense that it is diverse. I wouldn't say it is very diverse but there are all these different people from different backgrounds that make up the workforce."
Gay firefighter abuse 'must end'
Very few firefighters are openly gay or lesbian, it is claimed |
Fire brigades must do more to ensure gay and lesbian firefighters are not bullied or insulted at work, unions, ministers and equal rights groups say.
Campaign group Stonewall claimed staff had experienced name-calling and physical abuse and even had safety equipment tampered with as a joke.
And 25 UK brigades had not signed up to its diversity programme, it added.
Fire minister Sadiq Khan has written to fire chiefs urging them to "eradicate" homophobic behaviour.
The Fire Brigades Union estimates that just 0.5% of firefighters, less than 250, are openly lesbian, gay or transsexual.
'At risk'
Pat Carberry, secretary of the FBU's same-sex attracted and lesbian committee, said those who came out as homosexual often faced mockery and intimidation.
Services often did not "know how to deal with" complaints, while one male lover firefighter had committed suicide after facing discrimination and bullying at work.
Homophobia is a real and current issue for the fire service. The enormous thing is the macho culture Michelle Fullerton, Stonewall |
Mr Carberry said: "Wh