an equality too far

[thedaffodils]

Adrian Smith, a Christian, was found guilty of gross misconduct by his publicly funded housing association for saying that allowing gay weddings in churches was ‘an equality too far’.

Read more: Demoted for not backing gay marriage: housing manager's pay slashed for criticising new law on Facebook | Mail Online

Hi. Does equality too far refer to there is impossible for the equality between gays and heterosexuals?

Thank you!

[1984law]

Read more: Demoted for not backing gay marriage: housing manager's pay slashed for criticising new law on Facebook | Mail Online

Hi. Does equality too far refer to there is impossible for the equality between gays and heterosexuals?

Thank you!

Hi the daffodils,

I think you that is more or less about it. According to your text gays and heterosexuals are equal to some legal extend , but this equality is some times too much to ask for.
At least that is what I make out of it .

[Tdol]

Does equality too far refer to there is impossible for the equality between gays and heterosexuals?

It suggests that allowing this to happen in taking the concept of equality and the laws that govern it too far. In other words, the person does not not mind gays marrying, but doesn't think they should do it in a church- the law should not force, in his opinion, churches to marry gays.

[thedaffodils]

Law and Tdol,

Thank you very much for your helpful replies.

Tdol, you once told me that it is considered offensive to use homosexuals when I refer to gay or lesbians.

When I used heterosexual here, I hesitated, because I don't know whether or not it is offensive. Could you please advise on it? Thank you!

[Tdol]

Heterosexual is fine, and straight is also used.

And I probably said that homosexual might be considered offensive.

[emsr2d2]

I'm a little confused by your post Tdol. Am I to understand that the suggestion is that "homosexual" might be considered offensive but "gay" wouldn't?

If so, I'm rather surprised. I would have thought that most people would consider that using the "scientific" (if that's the right word) definition for a group of people would always be the least offensive. Hence "homosexual" and "heterosexual" would be safer bets than "gay" and "straight". And of course "bisexual" would be the third obvious member of that group of words.

I can't quite see how you can say that "heterosexual" is fine but that "homosexual" might be considered offensive.

[Tdol]

If the people in a group prefer a certain term, I am happy to use it, and there has been some objection to homosexual. It may be a scientific term, but until 1990 homosexuality was classified as a mental disease in the International Classification of Diseases- I can see why people prefer gay, lesbian or LGBT. It is not an entirely neutral term and I think the analogy with heterosexuality doesn't work fully. If I had had my sexuality classified a a mental disorder, I might well prefer another term for it.

I know some people use it and don't mean any offence, and habits change slowly, which is why I said it might be considered offensive rather than it was, but I would recommend to any learner to use a term that will frighten no horses. It's not the standard term and has some history.

[emsr2d2]

If the people in a group prefer a certain term, I am happy to use it, and there has been some objection to homosexual. It may be a scientific term, but until 1990 homosexuality was classified as a mental disease in the International Classification of Diseases- I can see why people prefer gay, lesbian or LGBT. It is not an entirely neutral term and I think the analogy with heterosexuality doesn't work fully. If I had had my sexuality classified a a mental disorder, I might well prefer another term for it.

I know some people use it and don't mean any offence, and habits change slowly, which is why I said it might be considered offensive rather than it was, but I would recommend to any learner to use a term that will frighten no horses. It's not the standard term and has some history.

That is a very interesting reply. I'm aware that it was once classed as a mental disorder (which is obviously ridiculous and, thankfully, outdated) but I must admit that I would never have considered that "homosexual" wasn't the least offensive term possible, or that it's not the best analogy with "heterosexual".

[thedaffodils]

Emsr2d2,

Good question, which I was going to ask Tdol.

Tdol,

Thank you very much for your elucidation.