Re: Do you have a non discrimination policy? | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Katie Henry (katie-henryatt.net) | |
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:06:16 -0800 (PST) |
A few random thoughts: Why does your community feel this is necessary now, given that you've been established for a while? Are you trying to solve an internal problem? Or appeal to potential new members? To me, it's well-intentioned but unenforceable. I certainly question putting it in the bylaws. You don't want to do something that will scare off the banks. Maybe just have a blanket statement about inclusion in the house rules or mission statement or whatever. In my former community, in the DC area, when we were forming we had a significant number of African American members, reflecting the demographics of the area. Most of them hated it when we tried to talk about race, including this type of nondiscrimination language. They didn't think there was a problem and didn't want to have attention drawn to themselves so we could assuage our liberal white guilt. I'm curious how your members who belong to your protected classes feel about this exercise. Was it their idea? Part I -- I'd lose "legal history." How would you even know someone's legal history unless they committed a lurid crime and became a household name? Or unless they're listed in a sex-offender registry, in which case do you really want them moving in? Class? What does that mean? I don't see any mention of political beliefs. Does that mean Republicans can be excluded? A lot of cohousers feel that way and aren't shy about it. Part II -- What is meant by affirmative action? In terms of finding new members? How will this be implemented? By targeting your outreach activities and advertising at these groups? Or by other means, such as cash subsidies? It seems that cohousing communities should be practicing affirmative action to get more men! There's no shortage of women in coho. Contracted labor? This is what got my attention, as the person in charge of hiring and supervising workers at my former community. It's hard enough to find good electricians, painters, plumbers, etc., without also having to screen for sex and ethnicity. And disabled contractors? Okay, not the plumber, but maybe the bookkeeper. But how do you find a disabled bookkeeper? And who defines underutilization? What does it mean???? And who will do the work of defining suitable candidates? Is it a consensus decision? Gaaahhhh! Anyway, enough rambling. I'll just say that if this was being presented in a community where I lived, I'd be okay with Part I -- it seems harmless enough -- but I would be violently opposed to Part II. Katie Henry
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Do you have a non discrimination policy? Bree Kalb, February 19 2013
- Re: Do you have a non discrimination policy? Katie Henry, February 20 2013
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