Over the years I have occasionally expressed my disgust over the fact that the majority of NAR members are women but the Majority of the leadership are men. The percentages are not even the same. Membership is over 60% female but leadership is like 80% male.
Most of the top employees of NAR at least when it comes to pay and title are also men and it has been that way for like ever.
On the surface this sounds bad but according to some NAR leaders and NAR employees who have defended the NAR, it really is O.K and even if it were not O.K it can’t be changed. If it could be changed we would have started to see changes in the 1970’s
Ten reasons why women are under represented in leadership roles at the NAR and why it is O.K.:
1. Change takes a long time and is a slow process and NAR has only been around since 1908.
2. NAR even discriminates against men sometimes, even old white men.
3. Women need to get more involved and stop complaining about the lack or women in leadership roles. Women who advocate for women become a “thorn” in someones side and no one wants to have a thorn around.
4. There are groups of people who have it much harder in life than women have it. What about them?
5. The only way the system can change is to work within the system but we don’t have any openings. Please keep trying every year. Get more involved in your local association too.
6. There are other organizations in other industries where men fill most of the top positions. Some are as bad as NAR is. (I would like to see proof)
7. We need to focus our resources on getting more young people involved because they are the future and they get it.
8. NAR has been preserving the Mortgage Interest Tax deduction and without it fewer people would want to own homes and that would hurt real estate agents.
9. Speaking out against the NAR can hurt homeownership and other members. It is best to keep quiet about institutionalized discrimination, especially if nothing can be done about it.
10. It isn’t the fault of NAR that they discriminate against women. It isn’t by design or on purpose.
Each and every one of these was told to me by a male leader or employee of the NAR. I get it boys and yes I will keep paying my dues. For some strange reason I have to be a member of the national association just so I can belong to the local MLS. That rule must have been made up by a man.
