For the sake of the argument, it's not important. I'm merely trying to give some example of the real revulsion that some Christians (and, for that matter, Muslims and Jews) feel around flaming homosexuals. If you were told, by whatever means, that some guy walking down the sidewalk towards you was a known pedophile who actively sought 4-year-old boys, you probably wouldn't give him a "hi-how-ya-doin'!" and a hearty handshake. I'm guessing you would feel pretty awkward and uncomfortable, because any friendly gesture might be viewed by him (and others watching) as an endorsement of behavior that you find personally abhorrent.
Now, am I equating homosexuals with pedophiles? No. What I'm trying to equate is the discomfort that some conservative religious folks feel around flaming homosexuals. That's all.
I'll go with your hypothetical for a moment. (Hypothetical because I've never worked retail.) If some guy walks in, who I don't know, and wants to buy something in the store, of course there's no problem.
If the guy, though, advertises himself in some way as living a lifestyle I find particularly objectionable, I might have a problem serving him. If he were gay, probably no problem -- even the Andy Bell/Lea Deloria in-your-face types I've dealt with without a problem. If it becomes a situation where the person decides that he needs to detail his sex life in front of me or swap spit with his bf, then I'm not too happy and I'm probably clearing the scene. (This has happened a couple of times in social situations and in stores where I was also a customer; I'm not accusing gays of doing this on a regular basis.)
Surfer boy was unclear in his original post how his objectionable co-worker knew that the guys who came in were gay. I've been assuming that they were quite flaming. I don't know if their conversations were on sex or not -- if so, I could definitely see why the co-worker wasn't comfortable.
As for what you do in the privacy of your home/church/whatever, generally I agree with you. But if you define yourself by a lifestyle that some folks would find objectionable, and then either by intention or accident "remind" those same folks "hey, this is what I really like to do when I'm not here", of course you're going to bother them.
Kevin
Several comparisons and examples. First the pedophile that works along side you. You said you wouldn't want to give the old good handshake and how do you do. That is understandable. But if both of you are working at the same place of employment, you will have to be professional and converse where necessary. But come now, do you really think a store is going to hire a known pedophile to work in a store where children are coming and going all the time. We are talking about WalGreens, not a liquor store. This example isn't really applicable. No Walgreen's is going to hire a convicted pedophile to work in a family store,
But convicted pedophiles will once out of prison need to shop. One comes in the store and has some purchases to make. It doesn't matter. The employee rings up the items a takes the money and then gives the change. The employee isn't bound to banter around and joke with everyone who comes in the store, just be the retail clerk you are as long as the person isn't breaking any laws. The the pedophile is fondling a 7 year old child over in the toy section, call the police and have him arrested. You don't have to worry about the pedophile buying anything that day.
All of this to state that the pedophile comparison isn't applicable here at all.
Now the part about being uncomfortable because the person is divorced, gay, has on too much jewelry, wears outdated clothes, has bad breath, just farted and has stunk up the whole store -- all of this is not relevant to the employee. The employee is to make the sale, not to judge the person. That is pure and simple. The clerk is under no obligation to become friends. Ringing up the sale doesn't mean that the employee loves the smell of farts, old fashions clothes, or gay lifestyle or divorced Christians. All of that is not relevant.
Surferboy is correct from the get go on all of this. It doesn't matter how much the gays were flaming. Even if one of them made a pass at the boy, it is best to ring up the sale and let the gay couple leave.
Of course if someone was coming into the store and harassing an employee, the other employees should do what they could to diffuse the situation including offering to wait on the customer. But Surferboy never stated that any of that happened.
My gut feeling is that the boy knows that Suferboy is gay. The boy is wise enough not to cause a scene with another employee. I suspect that the boy refused the wait on the gays as a statement to Suferboy. A way to try to get to Suferboy. That is just a gut feeling.
Surferboy, I love you sense of right and wrong and your willingness to stand by your convictions. You might lose your job, but you won't lose your honor and integrity. Unfortunately the store manger may lose his honor and integrity. But that is his problem.
