By no stretch of the imagination can one call being open minded and capable
of listening and hearing "bigotry". The thing that made me very surprised
was the initial flippant attitude of one respondent, and the indefensible
attitude of another.
This is very similar to the emotions raised over people of different racial
backgrounds and types from one's own, typified by Alf Garnett, which was
outlawed by law in the UK many years ago.
It is relevant to this list in so far that the very people who are
custodians and guardians of sensitive data, ourselves, can reveal ourselves
open to major prejudices. As I have said before, we have a right to BE
bigoted. Our duty is not to REVEAL it, and to act in our duties as though
we are not. I am nervous that two of those who seek to protect sensitive
data have revealed a tendency to at best light heartedness, and at worst
being offended by the very data they have a duty not to reveal.
The website of one of those even shows a link to
http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/ about whom I know little, but whose name
implies much.
I appreciate your ameliorating tone. I wish similar amelioration had come
from those who in one case showed flippancy, and in the other case revealed
very surprising views indeed.
Of course, you have to note that I absolutely do not tolerate dogmatic
people, which is in itself an interesting thought.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Boardman
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 14 November 2002 14:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Sex Change
I imagine that I am not the only person who feels that this has been pursued
beyond the purposes of this list.
Unfortunately this is a very emotive subject. Those who accept the concept
of gender change inevitably find the views of those who do not indefensible,
and those who have problems with the concept inevitably find acceptance
indefensible. A bigot is a person 'obstinately and unreasonably wedded to a
particular opinion'; consequently on each side of the argument the opposite
point of view is seen as bigotry. So perhaps we should call a halt to
emotive expressions of opinion, which belong in other places than this list,
and try to restrict ourselves to data protection implications.
In the hope that I have not revealed an opinion on either side.
Elizabeth Boardman
Archivist
Brasenose and St. Hilda's Colleges
Oxfordshire Health Archives
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