I’ve got this idea in my head about a kinky Dom/me equality and diversity officer chastising rubbish NHS services. Because when I was an E&D bod they’d always say they wanted me to be brutal and raise difficult issues and correct their mistakes but they’d resist any effort to change them. Maybe I should have been harsher.
You may find my manner haughty
But you’ve all been very naughty
And I think that it is time you were chastised.
I have been kind for far too long
And now I realise I was wrong
Because you’ve never done the things that I so quietly advised.
When we met you were quite certain
That you didn’t mind me hurtin’
You, if that is what I felt I had to do.
But you’ve avoided being stung
By a lashing from my tongue
By pretending you’d done everything that I required from you.
Though I shouted til I’m hoarse
“Be inclusive!” “Oh of course!”
You would promise, and yet nothing ever changed.
Still your services are racist
Homophobic, ableist spaces
As you pride yourselves on all the window dressing you’ve arranged.
And I’m tired of explaining
That “nobody is complaining”
Means nobody thinks that you will give a damn.
And I’m starting to feel sorry
That I’ve been your pet minority
Who never gets offended, well, surprise, assholes, I am!
If I’m speaking truth to power
You’re a total bloody shower
And I really should have said something before
I was just too tired to fight
– You couldn’t get MY pronouns right
And you wondered why trans patients were not coming through the door!
And some patients are just grateful
That you’re not openly hateful
Cause they’ve had to lower all their expectations.
It may be a shock to you
That no patient likes to do
Unpaid labour trying to fill the gaps in doctors’ educations.
I tried emails, little chats,
Training sessions that fell flat
I made posters you would not display with friendly little tips.
My equality/diversity
Approach met with perversity
So it’s no more Mx Nice Person, see? It’s time to crack the whip.
Tom Juniper Poetry 