We can all achieve change
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Big changes towards equality always make a splash. Small changes do not have the same impact, but are always welcome. Sometimes this incremental change enables big change. Sometimes, it follows in the wake of big change. Often when we seek change, we seem overwhelmed- how can little me effect change? This is the story of a small welcome change towards equality.
Vicki Mitchell-Taylor of Aussie is an excellent mortgage broker. I refer clients to her. Naturally, I send her emails. My emails often bounced back, with an automatic disclaimer dreamed up by some IT wowser somewhere in the bowels of Aussie that they were “inappropriate”because they contained “sexual content”. There was no sexual content. My emails at the end refer to me being the author of three blogs, one being this blog, the Australian Gay and Lesbian Law Blog.
This had happened to me a number of times until finally one day I had had enough. I had sent Vicki an email about a client I was referring to her. My email bounced back, for the usual reason. After speaking to Vicki, I contacted a higher up at Aussie, telling her that the screening was discriminatory and I would not stand for it any longer. I sought that Aussie change its settings.
It took a week, but the Aussie higher up did so. The settings were changed. Now when I send Vicki emails, they go through. They don’t bounce back, saying that they were “inappropriate” because they contained “sexual content”. I still say, proudly, at the end of my emails that I am the author of the Australian Gay and Lesbian Law Blog. The mouse had roared- we are one small step closer to equality.
