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Church woman 'bullied gay worker'
 10
June 2008- UK- A gay church worker claims he was bullied out of his job by a
manager who "would say something about gay sex every day".
Stephen Price, 25, of
Clydach, near Abergavenny, said Mair Jones, 40, turned "every conversation" to
sex.
Mr Price is claiming
sexual harassment and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation
against the Presbyterian Church of Wales.
The church denies the
charges. The Cardiff employment tribunal continues.
Giving evidence on
Tuesday, Mr Price, who is openly gay, said he worked alongside Ms Jones at the
church's 250-year-old Trefeca centre, a 37-bed retreat near Brecon, Powys,
visited by church groups from around Britain.
He told the hearing he was
forced to quit as the assistant manager because of Ms Jones's ceaseless comments
about sex, which included calling him a "stupid poof".
The philosophy graduate
said: "Every conversation would somehow end up being a conversation about sex.
This happened continuously and was part of her repertoire.
"Everything imaginable
that I would say would be repeated back to me as a double entendre.
"She joked once that I
could have her for sexual harassment and that she was the Queen of Innuendo as
she would find a sexual twist to even the most innocent comment.
"Sex and sexuality seemed
to be the only subjects Mair was interested in talking to me about. Mrs Jones
would say something about gay sex every day."
"I was and still am
shocked to have been referred to as a poof. I am very proud of both my faith and
my sexual orientation.
Mr Price told the hearing
how his mother, Rev Linda Price, is a minister in the church and was "excited"
about him landing the job at the centre, first set up as a Christian community
in 1752, and which is now a religious retreat and conference centre.
He said he went on trips
with Mrs Jones, including one with her boyfriend, to try to improve their
relationship, but the sightseeing soon brought up the subject of sex.
He said: "Mair delighted
in telling me about the local landmark called Lord Hereford's Knob and about a
village called Three Cocks and how funny this was.
"I was then told a story
about Mair visiting a sex shop while leaving her mum in the car and had to hide
her bag of sex toys from her."
The hearing heard Mrs
Jones gave him a 24th birthday present of a toilet roll with pink fairies on it
and a card with a picture of Oscar Wilde.
Mr Price said he was moved
to another office in Cardiff after less than 12 months but resigned when he was
told to return to the college. He is also suing for constructive dismissal.
He said: "I was bullied
consistently for no other reason than my sexuality, daily having to put up with
either being referred to as a poof or having her talk of homosexuality or sex."
The Presbyterian Church of
Wales denies all claims. The tribunal hearing continues.
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