Sir, I was very disappointed to read S. Worthington's letter in the recent issue of the BDJ.1 I feel it shows a lack of understanding of the purpose of the rainbow lanyard. The purpose is to encourage inclusivity and help to break down barriers that some LGBT+ people feel in talking freely to health professionals. Use of the lanyard is not designed to be a political statement. As such it supports GDC Standards 2013 section 1.6.1: You must not discriminate against patients on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership pregnancy or maternity, race religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. It provides reassurance to LGBT+ staff and patients in the NHS that they will not be discriminated against.

If a lanyard were introduced to reassure staff and patients that they would not be discriminated against on the basis of race, I wonder if the writer would also refuse to where this on the grounds that it may cause distress to those who hold racist views?