Debunking the "Brothel Law" Myth

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I'm going to chime in as an Evanston homeowner on this one. Evanston is terrible when it comes to Town vs. Gown tensions. The big issue here is not four people in a four-bedroom apartment, it's the nine people in a rented house.

Obviously, sorority and fraternity houses have found some way around it (perhaps the loophole 33girl mentioned), so I think that it can be done, but I suspect the city is really going to target the "party houses" more than anything else.

Also, it's not a brothel law, that was never the intention of the law, and if you need any proof that the article was poorly fact-checked, I point you to the part about 19 home rule municipalities in Illinois (there are actually several hundred).

[Barbie's_Rush]

My point was there is a rule that limits the number of non-relatives in living together in a house in at least one college town. Whether it was originally created to prevent brothels or deal with landlords who rent party houses or whatever, it has come to be known at least by some in that area as a "brothel law."

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

My point was there is a rule that limits the number of non-relatives in living together in a house in at least one college town. Whether it was originally created to prevent brothels or deal with landlords who rent party houses or whatever, it has come to be known at least by some in that area as a "brothel law."

But it does not affect the sororities at all, as many of them have housing.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

My point was there is a rule that limits the number of non-relatives in living together in a house in at least one college town. Whether it was originally created to prevent brothels or deal with landlords who rent party houses or whatever, it has come to be known at least by some in that area as a "brothel law."

What makes it a brothel law is that it is allegedly made on moral grounds, preventing unrelated women from living together ostensibly to prevent brothels. Thing is, just because people are ignorant of the law, and familiar with rumors of brothel laws and conflate the two concepts, doesn't make what's going on in Evanston an instance of an actual brothel law. Otherwise you could argue that there really are brothel laws in any *insert town here* because people believe it.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

What makes it a brothel law is that it is allegedly made on moral grounds, preventing unrelated women from living together ostensibly to prevent brothels. Thing is, just because people are ignorant of the law, and familiar with rumors of brothel laws and conflate the two concepts, doesn't make what's going on in Evanston an instance of an actual brothel law. Otherwise you could argue that there really are brothel laws in any *insert town here* because people believe it.

I believe the law was actually passed in the 1940's to target African Americans living together in large groups. So, it has a racist history, and calling it a "brothel law" glosses over the true history.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I believe the law was actually passed in the 1940's to target African Americans living together in large groups. So, it has a racist history, and calling it a "brothel law" glosses over the true history.

Interesting, I admit to knowing nothing about the racist history of zoning laws, but if so I agree it's a 'pretty' glossing over (which is ironic since the concept of a brothel law is offensive for its sexism in the first place.)

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Interesting, I admit to knowing nothing about the racist history of zoning laws, but if so I agree it's a 'pretty' glossing over (which is ironic since the concept of a brothel law is offensive for its sexism in the first place.)

exactly - like glossing over poop with vomit basically!! DBB, you need to contact snopes and tell them to add that info to their "there is no such thing as a brothel low" page.