Gay News from GXR News

The Church of England has found itself in more hot, gay water after being accused of refusing to employ a youth worker because of his sexuality.

In a landmark legal battle, the Right Reverend Anthony Priddis, the Bishop of Hereford, will face claims this week that he has violated employment practice by unlawfully discriminating on grounds of sexual orientation.

John Reaney, 42, of north Wales has previously worked as a youth officer in the dioceses of Norwich and Chester. He applied for a similar post in Hereford and was apparently told after an interview that a job offer was a “formality”.

Initially hopeful, he was later summoned to meet the bishop, which is when God, love and spirituality seemed to have left the building.

When the bishop quizzed Reaney, he probed him about his sexuality, asking “humiliating” questions about his private life. At this stage it’s unclear exactly what those questions were, but there’s been speculation that the bishop asked about bum sex. Following this episode, Reany was then informed by post that he hadn’t got the gig due to his homosexuality.

On Wednesday the bishop will appear before an employment tribunal in Cardiff to defend his decision. His lawyers are expected to argue that lay appointments by the Church of England should be exempt, as are clerical posts, from anti-discrimination laws.

Under the employment equality regulations, passed in 2003, it is illegal to discriminate in the workplace against people as a result of their sexual orientation.

The law contained an exemption for organised religion and this case is expected to act as a test over whether support staff in the Church of England are included in this.

In 2004, the trade unions mounted an unsuccessful High Court challenge to an exemption in the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SOR) allowing religious organisations to discriminate against gays and lesbians. The regulations clearly stipulate that the anti-gay clause should apply only to ministers of religion.

Bindman & Partners, the human rights law firm that is representing Mr Reaney, will argue that the Church of England cannot apply its exemption to an employee who is not a cleric. Alison Downie, representing him at the hearing, said her client regretted bringing the claim but felt backed into a corner. Interestingly, it’s Reany’s faith that is driving him to the tribunal. “My client is a committed Christian who has devoted his life to sharing his Christian faith with others. The church discriminated against him on the grounds of his sexual orientation when the bishop refused to confirm his appointment to a post,” she said.

“He feels that he has been denied the opportunity to contribute to the work of the church.”

She said she was confident that the tribunal would find in his favour. The hearing opens in Cardiff on Wednesday. Reaney’s case is being funded by the gay equality organisation Stonewall.

Its chief executive Ben Summerskill feels confident of the outcome due to the brazen. nature of the homophobia

He said: “It is unacceptable for the Church of England to argue that they are entitled to refuse to employ someone who is very competent and experienced because of their sexual orientation.

“It is clearly pretty shaming for the bishop to spend Holy Week in an industrial tribunal.”

Anni Holden, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Hereford, sniffed: ‘We expect the same sexual standards of behaviour from our support ministers or lay ministers as we do of clergy.’

“John Reaney did not get the job he applied for in the diocese,” she said. “He was not offered the job and therefore an offer cannot have been withdrawn.

The House of Bishops trumped up a laughable rule a few years ago which declares that staff are allowed to be gay, but are forbidden from nookie. Many observers noted that this was hypocritical, confused and highly optimistic, especially when applied to gay men. Even men of the cloth like a bit of willy.

Source: uk.gay.com