What shall we do about these isms and phobias?

[MoonRocker]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18588612

[sp1814]

It is completely unacceptable and thoroughly hypocritical.

The following excuse is particularly weak:

Diet is a commonly cited reason. The author of a "Gujarati (Indian) only" ad says: "I'm a vegetarian and I don't like meat in the kitchen."

Then the advert should read: "room to share in vegetarian household". All the vegetarians I know dislike their pans, pots and ovens being used for meat, so it's understandable that they should want to live with other veggies.

Similarly, I think it's wrong to advertise for a gay flatmate. You could state that the it was a 'gay-friendly' household...but to exclude a section of the community is pure prejudice.

In answer to the question - anyone who puts up signs like this should be prosecuted.

Problem is - as others have implied, even if the adverts were all rewritten to meet current legislation, that would not alter the prejudice of those putting the adverts up.

[cathfromsaron]

completely illegal, BUT they don't look like they have been written by anyone with intelligence or a deliberate intent to offend!

maybe they are just honest?

[emmie]

dotty, you missed the point, you cannot advertise a job, home, to be exclusively for one ethnicity, if you do it is called breaking the law. The times have gone when one could say no to whatever you didn't like, and that is how we get to a more equal society. Suppose it said only gays, wouldn't that be as discriminatory to non gays.

[emmie]

cath, honest or not, you can't do it. If i asked for a house sharer via the local council i couldn't say i would prefer a white middle class person, even though that might be what I want. So double standards apply in this case.

[naomi24]

I actually think people should be allowed to specify who they want to let accommodation to, but since the law says they can’t, well said SP. The law has to work the same for all.

[emmie]

naomi, so do i, but the law in this case should stand. Mind you if that happened and the middle class white folk said that is who they want to flat share etc, and the asian people said they would prefer asians, isn't it going to polarise our society.

[cathfromsaron]

of course i agree is shouldn't go on!

surely the shop owners who displayed the notices should be educated too?

[cathfromsaron]

we all know you can't advertise for a 'paper boy' or say 'would suit retired person' etc so these notices are obviously wrong ...

[emmie]

cath, what type of shop, pardon me if it seems one sided, but if they are asian shopkeepers why would they know or care.

[naomi24]

I'm not sure it would make a lot of difference, Em. As has been said, people get around it and let accommodation to those of their choice anyway – but I suppose the law has to be seen to be making the right noises.

[sp1814]

Another answer is to prosecute the shop owners too. They are providing a platform for these ads, so they should share responsibility.

[emmie]

sp, perhaps they don't know the law, or the language?

[sp1814]

I'm not arguing - but why would 'would suit retired person' be against the law???

[cathfromsaron]

i presumed they were displayed in local newsagents and corner shops, the owners of which *already* need to know the laws on alcohol and cigarette sales etc ...

maybe trading standards can sort them out on this subject too?

[emmie]

perhaps it isn't, don't know, but it could be perceived as discriminatory to young people, it's a bit of a minefield.

[cathfromsaron]

because it indicates an age apparently ... i don't agree with that restriction though!

[sp1814]

em10

Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Also, I doubt very much that there are many newsagents who cannot speak English. For one thing - how would they sort all the newspapers and magazines.

[emmie]

sp, perhaps you would care to pay our area a visit, i swear not many can or at least will speak English.

[sp1814]

Ahhh...I see (re: would suit retired person).

That could mean, "We need someone who can be completely flexible with their working hours" (which doesn't indicate any prejudice)

Or

"We don't want some spotty teenager who probably can't get themselves out of bed and will constantly have the radio switched to XFM" (which does).

[MoonRocker]

Well thanks for your answers, even those at the start supporting racism, your views are welcome in the discussion if not entirely mainstream. I suppose really what I was getting at is that if I'd put an ad saying WASPs only then I'd probably have initiated a liberal feed frenzy!