Debunking the "Brothel Law" Myth

[AZTheta]

^^^correct, not in Clark County or all counties, just specific counties in NV and there is history/reason for that. The point is that brothels per se are legal in NV. This whole discussion of brothels is goofy. If it were true, then there would be no same-sex dorms. This topic has already been beaten into the ground. Pesky urban legend!

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

^^^correct, not in Clark County or all counties, just specific counties in NV and there is history/reason for that. The point is that brothels per se are legal in NV. This whole discussion of brothels is goofy. If it were true, then there would be no same-sex dorms. This topic has already been beaten into the ground. Pesky urban legend!

Oh, right, I know that's not the reason there aren't sorority houses, it was more of an off-topic observation on my part.

And, as I pointed out a few pages back, there are locales that have laws about too many non-related people living together. Dorms are, in the cases I know about, exempt from such laws. So, I don't think you can say "such a law doesn't exist, as proven by the existence of dorms". Laws of this sort DO exist, they just don't single out women vs. men, and they don't apply to dorms or the type of sorority houses we usually think of, i.e. one owned by a housing corporation or HQ where individual women sign individual leases. If ten women in decided to get together and rent a house to be their sorority house, it would absolutely be against the law in some locations, it just has nothing to do with brothels.

[Hurley3352]

Technically, in Bangor Maine, places where five or more unrelated women live together is considered a brothel. Our alumni association had a hard time getting an off-campus house for us (since our school won't let us have one on campus, but that's an entirely different story). Our brothers alumni actually had to get the house, because it would've been okay for five or more men to live there who weren't related. An old law that a lot of people have been trying to get fixed since there is about five colleges surrounding it.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Hurley3352

Technically, in Bangor Maine, places where five or more unrelated women live together is considered a brothel. Our alumni association had a hard time getting an off-campus house for us (since our school won't let us have one on campus, but that's an entirely different story). Our brothers alumni actually had to get the house, because it would've been okay for five or more men to live there who weren't related. An old law that a lot of people have been trying to get fixed since there is about five colleges surrounding it.

Did you read any part of this thread?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Hurley3352

Technically, in Bangor Maine, places where five or more unrelated women live together is considered a brothel.

And yet a search of the Bangor Codes of Ordinances did not turn up a single instance of the word "brothel."

So unless you can cite and quote something to back up your assertion, I'm assuming that "technically," you're confusing a brothel law with a zoning ordinance that says five or more unrelated people cannot share a house in an area that is zoned residential, or something to that effect.

[DrPhil]

I think the problem is some jurisdictions and media outlets are using "brothel law" and claiming that these laws have existed for decades. They need to stop using that phrasing and simply express that some jurisdictions do not want over a certain number of (unrelated?) people (male and female) living in one dwelling for whatever reasons.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I think the problem is some jurisdictions and media outlets are using "brothel law" and claiming that these laws have existed for decades.

I think that's exactly the problem, except I doubt many (if any) jurisdictions actually use that term. I think it's one of those phrases that found its way into popular usage and the media perpetuate it.

[DaffyKD]

Snopes has a good article on this crazy topic.

http://www.snopes.com/college/halls/brothel.asp

DaffyKD

[lovespink88]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/meganc46/10-...n-chicago-ck4t

Dammit buzzfeed!! (#5)

[FuzzieAlum]

Oh man. I just heard a law professor tell her class that Pennsylvania has a brothel law and therefore there are no sorority houses in the state.

A LAW PROFESSOR.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by FuzzieAlum

Oh man. I just heard a law professor tell her class that Pennsylvania has a brothel law and therefore there are no sorority houses in the state.

A LAW PROFESSOR.

Did you tell her there are sorority houses all over PA?

[candygirl200413]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Did you tell her there are sorority houses all over PA?

I get the same thing! I go to school in VA and people are like "the reason our campus won't get sorority housing is because of the brothel law, it's so annoying!" and im like well I guess someone should tell W&M, UVA and Virginia Tech because they definitely missed the memo!

[ASTalumna06]

Every campus and GLO should put out a memo at the beginning of the school year that simply says, "The Brothel Law is a myth. The end."



It's amazing to me that this has been passed around in so many states and towns for so many years, and that people believe it. And even with social media, the myth hasn't lost speed, but instead, it seems to have gained it.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Every campus and GLO should put out a memo at the beginning of the school year that simply says, "The Brothel Law is a myth. The end."



It's amazing to me that this has been passed around in so many states and towns for so many years, and that people believe it. And even with social media, the myth hasn't lost speed, but instead, it seems to have gained it.

The campuses are usually the ones propogating it. This way they can say "awww, so sorry, we'd LOVE to help you but our hands are tied."

[naraht]

It would be nice if we could verify that every state does have sorority housing as part of debunking it. I quickly checked Wyoming, because that state only has one school with Greek Life (or the potential for Greek Life) and that one isn't a problem to verify. http://chaptersites.chiomega.com/default.aspx?site=101 .

Still like to be able to contact that law professor...