I work at a 3rd-6th public school in MA. I wore this hat to celebrate Pride month and last week of school. I am known for my 25 days of holiday hats I wear around the winter holidays. I do mostly Santa hats but also make sure to include secular hats/Hanuikka hats. No one has a problem with it and the kids LOVE it because the hats get progressively more outrageous the closer it gets to break.

So yesterday I get in the door and My Lead says “Do you have to wear that hat?” I replied “What? Its a rainbow hat for pride month?” And shrugged. Then my most vocal and conservative coworker came in and told me that “my hat is inappropriate”. I replied that d"iversity, tolerance, and inclusion is ALWAYS appropriate". She came back with " if it was just a rainbow hat but with the Pride sticker on there its not ok. You want tolerance and repect but you aren’t respected the other side. You know I dont believe in that and in front of the kids, its bad enough in front of us knowing we don’t believe in that." So I asked her if she wanted to bring it to HR. She said no and i offered to turn my hat around. Then My called HR who told her that my hat is fine. Lol.

The kicker is the coworker was wearing a Black Flag hat!

edit Black American Flag hat worn by conservatives in the US

      • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        Seriously. OP should strike up conversation next Christmas time while wearing the Santa hat. Causally ask them if they believe in Santa. Then when they inevitably say they do not, ask why the hat doesn’t offend them just as much as that rainbow pride hat did.

  • mortemtyrannis@lemmy.mlEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Exactly what doesn’t she believe in?

    That gay people don’t exist?

    Honey, have I got news for her.

  • IzzyScissor@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    PLEASE leave a copy of the U.S. flag code laying around somewhere. An all-black American flag ISN’T an American flag, and showing them how they’re breaking the rules of the flag they pretend to care about breaks their brain.

    The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.

        • DokPsy@infosec.pubEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          About as likely as a highly conservative states person saying that their favorite band was Rage against the Machine

      • IzzyScissor@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 months ago

        I was 50/50 on if it was the band or not. It didn’t seem to make sense for a callout for a band hat, so I assumed it was a black American flag. Could be wrong, though.

  • grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Offering to go with her to HR about it was the right move. Let her dig her own grave right in front of them. With any luck, she’ll get fired.

  • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    You want tolerance and repect but you aren’t respected the other side

    By “other side” I’m assuming she means heterosexuals? If so, I’ll tell you as a member of that side that I think the hat is fabulous.

  • Pennomi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Oof it would have gone down very differently in a public school in Texas/Florida. Be grateful you’re in MA.

  • fsxylo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    The “other side” is the very definition of a lack of tolerance and respect so get bent, coworker!