Cohousing-L Mailing List: diversity (was Sexually Diverse)

[Eris Weaver (erisw]

Jayne brought up the issue of desiring "diversity" and not seeing it
happening in cohousing.  This has been an issue for some of my community
members; I believe I see it differently than many of them.

First of all, mostly when people talk about wanting "diversity" they seem to
me to mean this: "We are a bunch of economically advantaged white people and
we will feel better about ourselves if our group includes some people who
are not white or not economically advantaged."

Do you read that statement differently depending on what
race/gender/class/sexual orientation you perceive me to fit into?  (If it
matters to you, I am a white Lesbian from a working class background.)

Of course, "diversity" can/could/should(?) mean a lot of other things
besides the color of skin -- different skills, talents, musical tastes, etc.

I value the existing diversity of people who are in our group, and I don't
care what race they are. I'm glad they don't care what my sexual orientation
is. But personally I don't really want TOO much diversity.  Isn't part of
why we want to be in cohousing is to live with like-minded people? I, for
one, do NOT want Republican, NRA homophobes in my community!

There was a lot of discussion in our group about trying to get more economic
diversity by getting some subsidies for lower income folks, etc.  Let me
tell you, having once BEEN the lower-income person in a collective
household, it was NOT easy -- in fact it was often stressful for me.

I don't feel like I'm being very articulate this evening. I'd love to hear
other opinions on this topic.

**********************************************************
Eris Weaver                                erisw [at] sonic.net
SoCoHo
http://www.sonic.net/~erisw/socoho.html
Sonoma County, Northern California

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