The question-and-answer session had started in unremarkable fashion.
As the 50 members of the public at the police liaison meeting were
handed their electronic handsets to take part in a survey, an official
told them: 'Let's start with an easy question to get us going.
'Press A if you're male or B if you're female.'
But it seems nothing is ever that simple. Someone asked: 'What if
you're transgendered?'
'You could press A and B together,' quipped Conservative councillor
Jonathan Yardley.
And that's where the problems started. Unbeknown to Mr Yardley, the
person who had asked the question was partner to a transgendered individual,
also at the meeting.
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And although Mr Yardley believes others found his quip amusing, this
couple certainly did not.
A complaint was made - and as a result, he was spoken to by police
for his ' homophobic' remark.
Yesterday, the 48-year-old councillor said: 'I went to meet a sergeant and an inspector who told me what I said could be homophobic and started giving me advice on what sort of humour I should engage in.
