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* I live on Lake Springfield, so this hits close to home…
Women will have to wait at least another six months before they can possibly join the Springfield Motor Boat Club.
Gene Hayes, commodore of the private club on Lake Springfield, said late Thursday a vote that would have allowed women to become full members of the club failed because of a procedural problem.
The “no” vote did not have anything to do with the merits of the proposal, Hayes said, and another vote could be taken in six months. […]
The Springfield Motor Boat Club, 17 Club Area, has restricted membership to men since the club was formed in 1933. An effort in 2005 to allow women to be full members failed. The Motor Boat Club did not allow reporters to attend Thursday’s meeting. Hayes commented by telephone after the meeting.
Not only is it supremely offensive and truly goofy that a dinky little boat club would deny membership to females in 2011, but the City of Springfield owns the land that the club sits on. The club leases the land from the town. Yet, Springfield has no ordinances against discrimination by these lake clubs on its very own property.
I don’t belong to any lake clubs, by the way. I just don’t feel the need to shell out bucks every month for the right to buy a hamburger.
* And in an ironic twist…
Ward 5 Ald. Sam Cahnman wants the Springfield Motor Boat Club, and any other club that leases land from the city, to be required to allow female and male members. […]
The city code already prohibits discrimination against women in employment, financial credit and public accommodations.
“Yet we lease our most treasured public land on Lake Springfield to a club which openly discriminates against women by prohibiting them from being full members,” Cahnman said. “Ninety-one years after women gained the right to vote, this is a form of discrimination we cannot and must not tolerate any longer in Abraham Lincoln’s hometown.”
Cahnman, you may already know, has his own problematic history with women.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 9:26 am
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Wow. I thought the last restrictive clubs were only in the deep south of the U.S. and eliminated years ago.
Would be a big story if someone could confirm any elected officials that belong.
Comment by just sayin' Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 9:40 am
while it seems like a slam-dunk issue at first blush, the club proponents’ position seems to be that if you have a Constitutional right of free association and assembly, you also have a right to assemble with exclusivity. If the clubbers want to pretend they still live in a time before civil rights, that’s their private business but then they should do it on private land.
Comment by Newsclown Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 9:44 am
I visited (cough, cough) this club a while back (hack, cough). Unless you are a smoker(hock), I don’t know why anyone(sniffle, wheeze) would want to join this club (p-u).
Comment by Joe from Joliet Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:09 am
Two things:
Is anyone considering taking this matter to federal court?
Given that the club has lost a third of its membership over the past two years, shouldn’t it be as inclusive as possible?
Comment by Boone Logan Square Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:17 am
Why should we care about some stinkpot boaters anyway? If the women want to start up a proper boating club they ought to be in sailboats.
Seriously, if you are renting public land you can’t be behaving like this club is. Open up the membership or your club should be forced to vacate. Maybe they could get a wading pool and put it in someones’ backyard.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:23 am
This is absolutely shameful. For once I agree with Cahnman.
Comment by Not a Newcomer Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:28 am
Good for Ald. Cahnman. I think the reason he continues to win local elections is because he’s an energetic and conscientious elected official. He might make a good state rep from that new district that has no incumbent.
Comment by reformer Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:30 am
This club was warned many years ago about this. Here is the issue (at least it was then) if the husband dies and they own a boat house, then the wife must sell the boat house because they are not members.
As far as legislation requiring women being allowed in what do you do with the Knights of Columbus that is a National Male fraternal organization that must abide by the National rules?
Rich, I agree with your comment about joining a lake club, if I could afford a lake home I would not need to belong to a club, but it is the best alternative to trailering a boat.
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:35 am
I also live on Lake Springfield and there is little or no accountability in the administration of leased property. Select individuals are arbitrarily allowed to ignore the lake land use plan in relation to erosion control, building requirements, and other rules. When concerns are brought to CWLP,they are dismissed out of hand or responded to with hostility. I hope the issue with the club brings more comprehensive reform to CWLP real estate oversight.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:39 am
===what do you do with the Knights of Columbus===
As far as I know, the K of C doesn’t rent land from the public. Apples and grapefruit.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:41 am
===He might make a good state rep from that new district that has no incumbent===
Please don’t encourage him. He’s fine right where he is.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:43 am
ALL land on the lake is leased. There’s no option to own land out there. I bet a lot of people and clubs would like to own the property their homes and clubs sit on.
Big fuss over nothing. Really? This is big news? Who is being hurt by men only boat clubs?
Just like the smoking issue. If a business allows smoking, you don’t like it, take your money somewhere else. If a men only club offends you, don’t patronize it.
This kind of thing works itself out.
Comment by PaGo Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 10:53 am
Cahnman loves the ladies.
Comment by Homer J. Simpson Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 11:11 am
47th– KC4179 leases land for their lake club on Lake Springfield. They are bound by their national fraternal organization bylaws.
The Springfield Motorboat Club is not a National organization.
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 11:17 am
HMRLLAS,
Thanks for the correction.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 11:41 am
Is there some case law on this kind of situation? I think there must have been, by now.
Also:
How many of the members at the Island Bay yacht club actually own a boat?
Comment by Gregor Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 11:46 am
Why are these “men” so anxious to get together with no women around?
Comment by Just wondering Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 11:56 am
I would gladly let them join the Wumpus Motorboating club.
I am for letting private groups do what they will. I do agree that public lands should prohibit discrimination. This is probably something that they did not think about….or the city council member is a member.
I am not sure how women drive boats,but if it is anything like they golf, I understand.
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 12:22 pm
==Good for Ald. Cahnman. I think the reason he continues to win local elections is because he’s an energetic and conscientious elected official. He might make a good state rep from that new district that has no incumbent. ===
Lol was Sam on Cap Fax today?
Comment by Bring Back Boone's Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 12:42 pm
I’m pretty sure that when this club has a fundraiser, their wives/significant others are “expected” or otherwise highly encouraged to do the shopping, cooking, setup, cleanup, etc. The women need to show the men that this club cannot continue to exist with this discrimination policy.
Where the heck is this Motor Boat Club? I’m pretty sure I’ve never patronized them in the past nor will I in the future. The aging population of this club makes it prime for the abolishment of same and a new group to come in and revamp the property. I look forward to that day.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 12:55 pm
===Where the heck is this Motor Boat Club? ===
It’s not too far from my house and it’s a fairly large spread. I’ve never been there, though. I’ve been by there once, to meet a friend’s boat.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 12:59 pm
As a woman, I suppose I’m expected to be offended, but I’m not. I wasn’t under the impression that there was a “no girls allowed” sign hanging on the door, but even if there was, I really wouldn’t care.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:13 pm
Whether they lease the land from the city doesn’t matter, if they’re a private club, they can do what they want. However, I sure wouldn’t want to be associated with any organization that played by these archaic rules, ridiculous.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:16 pm
On the other hand, though, I’d be upset if I wanted to form an all girl’s club and was not allowed, but that’s not the case here.
Not to start a big deal, but I truly could never understand why some women always want to bust the door down whenever a club restricts membership to men. I think I’ve probably heard most of the arguments–including the biggest which seems to be “lost business opportunities” because we’re not allowed to “rub elbows” with the men there, but if that’s the case, start your own club or figure out another way to “rub elbows”.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:21 pm
I should also mention how silly I think those men who join “girls clubs” in Corporate America look. A “networking for women” club sounds like a “networking for women” club, but you always have to have the 2% who just don’t get it, or believe that it’s somehow an infringement on their rights.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:27 pm
“Whether they lease the land from the city doesn’t matter, if they’re a private club, they can do what they want.”
Years ago, there used to be a private club known as the “Lincoln Park Gun Club”. It sat on the shores of Lake Michigan. While the club was open to the public, it had the misfortune of leasing property owned by the Chicago Park District. The “private club” was closed because the gun grabbers didn’t like people shooting skeet and trap on public property.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:37 pm
I remember the Gun Club. It’s a shame they had to close it down. One of the most ridiculous arguments I had heard back then was that the lake was being polluted and our drinking water was being poisoned.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 1:46 pm
Any1:46, perhaps we should show them Milwaukee or send an email of concern anytime there is a beach shut due to e-coli
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 2:56 pm
Well stated, Wumpus. I like Milwaukee and go there often. As a matter of fact, I’ll be there enjoying the lake this weekend. (Yay!)
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 3:17 pm
Anon: It’s not because we’re dying to be part of this club, but discrimination in any form is wrong. The fact that you don’t understand that worries me. What if you were denied entry to a place you actually wanted to go to because you were a woman: a restaurant, a theatre? Would you be OK with that? What is so offensive about women that they are being told they can’t go into certain places? This is a much larger issue than a boat club.
Comment by Seriously??? Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 3:36 pm
Seriously, Seriously? I understand completely. I’m not being denied because I’m a woman, I’m being denied because it’s a private MEN’s club. Just as MEN would be denied if it were a WOMEN’s club. (And BTW, while the “guys” who always attend the “girls’ club” event in Corporate American obviously can (or they’ll probably go running to court claiming they were somehow discriminated against), at least have some manners to understand it is a bunch of WOMEN who want to get together without men for a little while. It’s not the end of the world.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 3:49 pm
It’s nice to know that “wives” of members are allowed to use the facilities. Jeez. Since only men can “vote” to change the by-laws, I’m not holding my breath waiting for this change in the future.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 3:53 pm
So does a homeowner on Lake Springfield get to say whether or not he or she can refuse entrance to his or her home based on gender, race, religion, or ethnicity?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 3:57 pm
Anonymous, don’t be a doofus. But we cannot restrict who buys our homes.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 4:03 pm
Thank you for pointing that out, Wensicia–and all in accordance with what I said before about there not being a “no girls allowed” sign posted on the door.
However, if there was such a sign because it was a private MEN’s club, I would be able to understand and deal with what that means without needing a translator or Ms. Manners to help me–as long as I could operate MY WOMENS’ club next door if I wanted to.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 4:06 pm
Anon 3:57 was not me. That is the only post on this thread (up to and including the 4:06) that I did not post. (Sorry, Rich. Didn’t mean to start something like before closing time. While the “women’s rights” issue is related, obviously OT.)
Comment by The REAL Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 4:12 pm
Sorry. 10:39 isn’t me either.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 4:13 pm