Taking inappropriate questions to a new low

[Lilka]

www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/13/passport-official-suspended-gay-man-interrogation?CMP=twt_gu



Poor little boy - in his position, my DS would have absolutely freaked out. Just appalling behaviour. Makes me wonder if staff who do these interviews are ever educated on what is and is not acceptable to say with regards to adoption when it comes up?

And obviously as a gay mum, the prejudice makes me want to hit my head on a wall Our kids have to deal with enough already without this shit. None of any stupid busybodies damn business if we choose to adopt

[iwasyoungonce]

Just read the link, and it is terrible.

This just confirms what we already know. There are fucking arseholes in all walks of life.

I'm sure that the majority of her colleagues are shocked and disgusted by her behaviour too. I'm sure they are all trained in what is appropriate and what is not. This woman clearly had her own homophobic agenda.

I absolutely understand that "hit your head on a wall" feeling. Makes me feel like weeping too. There's such fucking nastiness and ignorance out there, hidden in so many unexpected places. Depressing.

Just give your DS a cuddle and be thankful that he has YOU, and not one of those arseholes. That's what I do when I hear of some awful news story that makes me want to cry.

[Barbadosgirl]

That really is a new place of horror.

I find there is still a prurient, horrified fascination/disapproval with gay parenting in a far too significant majority disguised with the old chestnut "won't the children be confused?" Children get confused about a lot of things and that is why they have their parents to explain things and I do not believe for a moment that is the concern. It is some sort of barely voiced concern about spreading the gayness or a general queasiness about children being under the same roof as that kind of activity, tut tut.

That's without even touching on the appalling insensitivity of asking an adoptive father, in front of the child, how he family deal with the fact of that child's adoption and his birth family.

What a fail. She needs to be removed from contact with people.

[Johnogroats]

Shocking.

[Devora]

Reading that made me feel sick. What a horrible experience for that little boy and his dad.

[Hairylegs47]

Shocking.
She even knew they were being filmed but still thought she could ask those types of questions. Unbelievable.

Years ago I had to answer questions like that when I claimed benefits. I'm sure my ds1 can't remember my answers to questions like 'how many men have you had sex with? Where did you have sex with them?'

[Lilka]

Made me feel sick too
Not much else I can say right now that isn't just an expletive ridden rant
I rarely so fervently hope for someone to be sacked

[MexicanSpringtime]

I am appalled. And unbelievable that Hairylegs47 should have been asked about her sex life in an interview about benefits.

The power really does go the heads of these little bureaucrats.

[LastingLight]

OMW, being fired will not be enough punishment imo, but I hope they do at least that.

[KristinaM]

I hope the passport agency will improve their training to enable all their staff to deal appropriately and sensitively with these issues. I can't believe this is their only employee who has a training need. It's better to improve practice throughout the organisation than to simply discipline or dismiss one person.

I understand that they might have to ask about place of birth, parental rights , adoption orders and citizenship . But I can't see how sexual orientation , sexual practice or parenting styles is any of their business. Clearly they need better guidelines about what areas of questioning are relevant and legitimate .

[STOPwiththehahaheheloling]

Fucking shameful! What a nasty piece of work she is. She has no place working with the public with such vile attitudes.

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

How dare she question him like that with or without his son on his lap! Outrageous behaviour. I hope she loses her job and all the others have training about what is necessary questioning and how to be respectful. Stupid woman!

hairylegs what buisness was it of theirs? How could they justify those questions? Who do these people think they are?

[drspouse]

Oh my. That is low.
In defence of the passport office, when we went to get DS's passport (we did fast track), we got a fellow adopter who was nothing but apologetic for not really understanding his complicated overseas paperwork. And also understanding about him running amok.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Awful awful awful

[Littleturkish]

Sickening. What a disgusting attitude.