Cohousing-L Mailing List: re: SF Bay Area Cohousing

[John Ladwig (jladwig]

apguirard [at] mmm.com <apguirard [at] mmm.com> writes on 11 January 93 at 
11:59 CST
 > 
 > Rachel, reading your message about your search for cohousing, I was
 > dismayed at a reference to a "women's cohousing group."  I feel
 > strongly that groups who exclude certain classes of people, on the
 > basis of age, sex, race, religion, or what have you, are entirely
 > missing the point of cohousing.  Diversity in a community is important
 > because there is value in alternate viewpoints and because, if you
 > want to raise children, they should be exposed to the variety of human
 > culture and opinion so that they learn how to accept and deal with
 > people whose backgrounds differ from their own.  Cohousing should not
 > be a shelter from the real world -- I don't offhand know what would be
 > more boring.
 > 

Umm.

I think that, for me, cohousing is an opportunity to define the kind
of community *I* want to live in.  This is an essential part of the
concept of cohousing, as I relate to it.

I do not agree that excluding members of a group is "entirely missing
the point of cohousing".  In particular, I am well aware of the need
for women to have a perceived safe space, and for some of them, at
some times, that means women-only space.

I believe there is room for many kinds of cohousing communities, and
in fact, would celebrate the diversity between communities.  I would
not insist that each group be a perfect reflection of the diversity of
our larger society.

$.02 - or less.

-- 
  TRG member
             UMN Department of Soil Science; St. Paul, MN
Internet: john.ladwig [at] soils.umn.edu             Fidonet: John Ladwig 
1:282/8
          jladwig [at] torpedo.forestry.umn.edu