One Vancouver man is calling on the city to crack down on gender-based signs.
“I would like to bring your attention to a small display of discrimination that I too often see on public signs in our city,” Glyn Lewis begins his letter to city council, which was also sent to the Courier.
The 34-year-old Mount Pleasant resident says he often sees signs used by construction companies, window cleaners and the like stating “Caution! Men Working Above” or “Men at Work” on construction sites or on sidewalks around the city where work is being carried out.
“As a young man who lives in Mt. Pleasant, I find this sign offensive.
“Naturally these companies employ both men and women,” he writes. “According to a 2006 Construction Council of Canada report women constitute 12.6% of the construction workforce.”
He says he called one of the window cleaning companies that used such a sign and was told they do have a female employee.
“So, on some days, while she works above the sign below reads, ‘Men Working Above.’ That’s not right. I’ve seen a dozen similar signs around in the past year.”
In his letter, Lewis says that using gender-based signs to identify workers sends the wrong message.
“It says, ‘Sorry, you’re not welcome. This isn’t a place for you.’ I don’t believe that’s who we are as a city,” he writes.
“I know it’s a small issue, but I think it’s important. It’s also something well within the power of the City to address.”
Lewis closed his letter by asking city councillors to pass a bylaw amendment banning public signs that use gender to identify workers.
@JessicaEKerr
