My first letter to the Board

The Board wanted commentary, and I sent some.

I will likely follow up.

I share here:

Dear Board Members;

I am deeply disappointed in the proposed change regarding same-gender consorts in Crown, and frankly I do not understand it.

I just do not understand why it is difficult for you to do the right thing and remove prejudice from Society law.

In the past, the Board has not been afraid to take the difficult stands, regardless of public opinion or perception. Why is that not the case here?

I feel you are abdicating your responsibility and putting undue pressure on Crowns, who already have the ability to keep anyone out of the lists anyway.

I also feel you are giving into perceived pressure. I firmly believe the "Superduke Argument" is a straw man.

Have you actually asked Lucan, Andreas, Michael of Bedford, Uther, Jade or any of the others whether they would actually do that? I have, and they won't.

People join and leave the SCA all the time, by the way. This is not going to cost you members, and for some of us, it will strengthen our belief in the Society.

By putting this law out for comment, you are simply delaying the opportunity for people to fight for the ones who really inspire them, and that's not fair.

I would submit that there are two roads here -- leave prejudicial language in the laws of a Society that is supposed to be focused on chivalry or "remove the four words."

Thank you.

Liam St. Liam

East Kingdom

Not using titles, because they don't matter here

Remove the four words!

The SCA Board of Directors has come up with a proposal for addressing the issue of same-gender consorts in Crown lists.

The proposal would change this:

Each competitor in a Royal Lists must be fighting for a consort of the opposite gender.

To:

"Each competitor in a Royal Lists must be fighting for a consort of the opposite gender.  Crowns may permit entry into the Royal Lists by same-gender couples."

My yardstick for evaluation is" "Does this give those of us who support 'Inspirational Equality' what we want?"

My answer is: "No."

It certainly delays equality and honestly doesn't make sense.

As far as I know every set of royals has the ability to control its own lists already and can exclude as they well. (Correct me if I am wrong, but that's my understanding. I know it is the case in the East.).

What sense does it make to have a law then say, "But exceptions can be made?"

To me, much of the point of this is having the SCA say it is not prejudiced against people who are partners with people of the same sex.

This does not do it.

I see it as a cop-out, a way to shift responsibility.

I am going to find it very, very hard to support anything other than striking the words, "of the opposite gender."

Remove The Four Words!