Berkeley Bans Words like ‘Manhole’ in City Codes While 2000 Homeless Sleep on the Streets

It’s always great to see governments taking on the tough problems. The city of Berkeley, California wants you to know that there are no Berkeley chairmen, policemen, policewomen, manholes, or manpower in their fair city.

Why?  Because the city voted to replace all “gender-specific” language is now banned from their city codes. 

“Manhole” will become “maintenance hole.”

“Manpower” will become “human effort.”

“He” will become “they.”

“She” will become “they.”

“There’s power in language,” Berkeley City Council member Rigel Robinson “This is a small move, but it matters. Having a male-centric municipal code is inaccurate and not reflective of our reality. Women and non-binary individuals are just as entitled to accurate representation. Our laws are for everyone, and our municipal code should reflect that.”

The ordinance passed without much discussion.

Guess what they’re not doing much about?

The 2,000 homeless people who sleep on (and defecate on, and do drugs on) their streets.  According to Berkeleyside:

Berkeley actually has about 2,000 people experiencing homelessness during the year,  more than twice the 972 estimated in the last formal count, a long-awaited staff report concludes.

To house all of them, the city would have to spend $31 million to $43 million annually by 2028. This is on top of the approximately $16 million Berkeley already spends on homeless services, wrote Peter Radu, Berkeley’s homeless services coordinator, in a report the Berkeley City Council is scheduled to discuss in late April.

The report found there to be “staggering” racial disparities among those who are affected by homelessness.

Apparently 65% of the homeless population there is black. However, the city council is more concerned with woke Caucasian issues than the real issues that are plaguing the most vulnerable among them.

The streets aren’t safe.  But there are no “manholes” to be found.  

Got it, Berkeley.  We see where your priorities are.

Image Credit: The World Wide Site of Manhole Covers

Hat Tip: CNN