What shall we do about these isms and phobias?

[MoonRocker]

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

[boxtops]

"Ism and phobias"?

It doesn't seem to be against the law and if the house is in a particular community or you are letting a room in your house, where everyone else is of a particular culture, I can understand why people might word these adverts as they do.

[Answerprancer]

Nothing.
People from different racial backgrounds and sexualities have suffered appalling prejudice and violent attacks throughout history at the hands of a greater majority. It's of little wonder (IMO) that they might want to segregate themselves in this manner.

[Answerprancer]

(...oh boy, is Mr Git going to love this!)

[douglas9401]

Ghettos are absolutely fine. Shows we're all in this together, just separately.

[emmie]

If you were to put an ad saying only white families need to apply, the law would be down on them like a ton of bricks.

[naomi24]

^^ I agree.

[joggerjayne]

I like the ... "Close to the station and bus stops (Filipino only)"

I wonder if that's some pervy old bloke, looking for a Filipini lady???

[emmie]

i can't believe anyone didn't see the hypocrisy, seeing as how in the bad old days notices appeared in many a landladies window, no blacks, Irish, pets allowed. whoever thought this is remotely right doesn't see the wretched double standards. No wonder London and the other big cities have become ghettoes if that's how moderate folk think.

[joggerjayne]

The fact that the house is in a particular community isn't really a defence.

If a house was in a white middle class neighbourhood ... (eg all of Eastbourne or Hove, LOL) you could hardly specify "white middle class" on the advert, merely because that was the nature of the area.

[Old_Geezer]

?!?!?!?!? I thought they were illegal, I'm amazed to read that they are still about. Surely signs like "no blacks or Irish" were banning back in the sixties ? This seems to be exactly the same.

[emmie]

OG, it is, which is all the more surprising some on here actively condoning it.

[sandyRoe]

If someone placed an advert for a flat share in their own language, say Tagalog for example, would that be breaking the law as it could be read as discriminating against those who couldn't read it?

[jomifl]

It is ironic that the immigants appear to be more racist than the natives.

[emmie]

we are supposed to be all inclusive, multicultural nation, where prejudice, and intolerance is frowned upon, so why can these notices stay put, it is breaking the law, and if i saw one would report it to the local council and police. As mentioned if it said white families only, which is not acceptable, then the notices wouldn't be there long.

[joggerjayne]

It's well established that landlords (like employers) have to interview people of all race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc ... before picking the white middle class person they were always going to pick in the first place.

If asked why they didn't pick the disabled black lesbian, they run the watertight defence of saying "Black? Which one was black? I didn't notice. I just don't pay much attention to people's skin colours."

It still happens, and the feeble bits of legislation are making very little difference.

[sandyRoe]

When I said, 'it could be read', I meant 'it could be seen'. That it couldn't be read by some prospective tenants would be the problem.

[emmie]

if it's an asian person doing the interviewing, who are they going to choose, surely it should be the one who can afford it. not based on their ethnicity.

[youngmafbog]

I am white middle class and I have black tenants in my property. They came along and paid so what's the problem and I think many Landlords would be the same.

This however is unbelievable, but what is worse is those on here actually condoning it. My God, wake up and smell the coffee, it is exactly this sort of act and the corresponding attitude of some on this site that exacerbates racism. It should be stopped immediately, it is illegal and the law applies to all not just white middle class

[dotty.]

the adverts are illegal, but they are advertising for people to live with them in close proximity, to share living space, i'd be very particular about who I had living closely with me! It's not like they are advertising a job vacancy is it? there has to be a certain amount of consideration for a person actually wanting to move in, they're not going to be too happy if they agree the rent and property, move in and then find they are living amongst Scottish people who drink alot and play bagpipes are they?

[jomifl]

I hae nae problem wi' tha' hinny