I currently work for the DWP, which is an excellent employer for gay people, male or female. However, I think this has been a fairly recent development in the workplace. My less favourable memories were of an insurance company, where during the Christmas present exchange party, gay men’s magazines and gay sex manuals would be wrapped up as gifts and given to unsuspecting male employees as a joke.

On finding out that I was gay, malicious male colleagues would indulge in immature same-sex kissing and mild simulation of gay sex acts in front of me.

During the early 1990’s I had trouble with another respected female member of staff. I had been involved in distributing personal safety alarms for women employees. The staff member proceeded to make jokes about small male private parts, asking if I would marry, and stated that I was a man, “who couldn’t make it with a woman.” On complaining, absolutely nothing was done about her spiteful conduct, whereby she was playing devious psychological rape games. I found similar rather anti-male sentiments with a small percentage of lesbian women who would make unenlightened comments about gay men, but be having affairs both with men and women.

Therefore, due to my experiences at work, I would prefer to keep my private life to myself. I am still proud of being gay, and would help anybody being bullied about their sexuality. I fully support people like Steve Davies for representing gay people within the macho arena of sport.