In the FDNY, slurs are more than horseplay (A culture of hate toward gays, women, minorities)

NY Daily News ^ | January 21, 2004 | TOM RYAN

[presidio9]

New York's firefighters are known by many names. Traditionally, they are called the Bravest. After 9/11, many called us the Heroes. Within the FDNY, some refer to themselves as the Brotherhood. Unfortunately, many firefighters have other names for their colleagues that are racial, ethnic or sexual slurs. I know, because I served more than 20 years in the FDNY, and I'm also a gay man. I heard those terms used and saw them scrawled on walls countless times in firehouses throughout the city.

On New Year's Eve, one firefighter attacked another in an assault preceded by what some newspapers are calling "a homosexual slur." The victim has been hospitalized with severe head injuries.

FDNY spokesmen call the assault an isolated incident resulting from "horseplay." Mayor Bloomberg called it an "altercation." Some reports have portrayed verbal harassment as a firefighter's rite of passage.

These descriptions are unbelievably dismissive. An anti-gay slur followed by a physical attack is not horseplay, whether the victim is gay or not. It is a hate crime. Likewise, the widespread use of slurs is not a harmless form of teasing. Its purpose is to create a climate of fear.

Such intimidation is not limited to gays. I often witnessed the outrageous harassment that women and minority firefighters endure. This overt cruelty is meant to create a work environment so unbearable that they will eventually quit the force.

Unfortunately, the hostility continues today. The FDNY is approximately 95% white. In 1982, when women first gained admission, 38 women became firefighters. Since then, only 11 more have been hired.

I know gay firefighters who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center. But despite braving the worst hell anyone can imagine, they are afraid to live openly as gay men within the Brotherhood. Of the 343 firefighters killed on 9/11, more than 20 were gay men, including two men who were partners in life and the Rev. Mychal Judge, the beloved FDNY chaplain.

Verbal abusiveness may be a tradition in the FDNY but it has nothing to do with creating good firefighters. It is also a violation of the law. For the mayor and the department's officials to tolerate a culture of prejudice is unacceptable and an insult to the gay, lesbian and minority firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty.

[tm22721]

Verbal abusiveness has always plagued the bottom half of society including fire, police and the military.

BUMP

[FreedomPoster]

78.45% of all statistics are made-up on the spot.

;-)

[presidio9]

This is a fact not to denounce, but to be very thankful for, if you ever want to be rescued from a fire.

If a 110 pound girl ever tries to sling me over her shoulders and carry me down 4 flights of stairs I know I will be thanking the pc god of diversity.

[BadAndy]

"In 1982, when women first gained admission, 38 women became firefighters. Since then, only 11 more have been hired."

Perhaps only 11 women met the physical requirements.

[martin_fierro]

It's never been clear to me what the roles of Guy In The Center and Guy In The Back With Suspenders were supposed to be.

[arasina]

[martin_fierro]

Did you know that 97.325% of all statistics are made up on the spot?

<|:)~

[arasina]

Hah! Good one.

[Dionysius]

The choices one makes has some consequences that cannot be mitigated by well-meaning legislation, politically correct psycho-babble and other efforts to defeat the natural order. There are some lines of work where one who is openly gay is not going to be welcomed with overwhelming acceptance, such as firefighting. Maybe in another hundred years of social experimentation, but until then let's withhold our blame from the straight guy in a straight guy's crumbling world.

[wtc911]

Fire, police and the military are the bottom half of society to you? I'm sure the guys at WRMC would love to hear what you think of them, why not call, or go visit?

[GovernmentShrinker]

I saw it pretty well documented in the months after 9/11.

[presidio9]

One of the brothers is a cop. The other is a soldier.

[Lance Romance]

I know gay firefighters who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center.

And they love nothing more than a high pressure hose. (/lisp)

[presidio9]

I saw it pretty well documented in the months after 9/11

Saw what pretty well documented? The smear or his homosexuality?

[GovernmentShrinker]

The latter.

[Alberta's Child]

Those are the two Irish ones -- Henry Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzhenry.

[Jim Cane]

Judge was gay. Deal with it.

[martin_fierro]

Guffaw.

<|:)~

(that would be BLACK Irish)

[Jim Cane]

That he was gay, just isn't that important.

[presidio9]

Judge was gay. Deal with it.

Homosexuals define themselves by their action. Mychal Judge was celibate. End of story.