B&B Discrimination Case Ruling

[squawkBOX]

One quote from the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/gay-couple-win-case-hoteliers) I liked was

The owners of the Chymorvah private hotel in Cornwall, Peter and Hazel Bull, do not allow couples who are not married to share double rooms because they do not believe in sex before marriage.


The Bulls asserted that their refusal to accommodate civil partners in a double room was not to do with sexual orientation but "everything to do with sex". The restriction, the owners said, applied equally to heterosexual couples who are not married.


In his ruling, Judge Andrew Rutherford said the hotel had directly discriminated against the couple on the grounds of their sexual orientation and awarded them compensation of £1,800 each.

...

"When Mr and Mrs Bull chose to open their home as a hotel, their private home became a commercial enterprise. This decision means that community standards, not private ones, must be upheld."

I totally agree with it. I'm a gay man and I can't get closer to marriage than a civil partnership, so as there is no way for gays to "marry," then this automatically excludes same-sex couples from sleeping together which is discriminatory.

 

[Danthus]

The owners of the Chymorvah private hotel in Cornwall, Peter and Hazel Bull, do not allow couples who are not married to share double rooms because they do not believe in sex before marriage.

Do they ask to see a marriage certificate from a heterosexual couple on arrival?

 

[Castiel]

One quote from the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/gay-couple-win-case-hoteliers) I liked was

I totally agree with it. I'm a gay man and I can't get closer to marriage than a civil partnership, so as there is no way for gays to "marry," then this automatically excludes same-sex couples from sleeping together which is discriminatory.

Would you specifically object to Hetero only hotels, as long as there are equally Gay only hotels.

Would this not cater for the idiosyncrasies of individuals better.

 

[Castiel]

I have just phoned the hotel and clearly said I am straight and they were happy to take a booking.

I have emailed them asking if they can take a booking for a mixed group and for hetero only couples. We shall see if and what they reply?

However, I think that both Gay Only and Hetero Only Hotels should be lawful as long as there is provision for both and it is clearly stated in the booking procedure and advertisement bumf....

 

[JBuk]

One quote from the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/gay-couple-win-case-hoteliers) I liked was

I totally agree with it. I'm a gay man and I can't get closer to marriage than a civil partnership, so as there is no way for gays to "marry," then this automatically excludes same-sex couples from sleeping together which is discriminatory.

That is not the fault of the B&B owners though?

 

[footman]

Surely the owners of the hotel would have to prove that there was intent on having sex.
Simply going to bed with someone for the purposes of sleep does not mean necessarily that a sexual act would occur.

 

[Burnsy2023]

Would you specifically object to Hetero only hotels, as long as there are equally Gay only hotels.

Would you support hotels for only black or white people?

 

[squawkBOX]

Would you specifically object to Hetero only hotels, as long as there are equally Gay only hotels.

Would this not cater for the idiosyncrasies of individuals better.

Difficult question - My belief is that it shouldn't matter, IMHO, there shouldn't be "gay hotels" or "straight hotels" no more than should be "black hotels" or "Caucasian hotels."

Everyone has the right to exist and I believe that commercial enterprises should cater for everyone.

 

[Casdawer]

Their B&B, thier rules.

Law = FAIL

 

[JBuk]

Would you support hotels for only black or white people?

I would support their right to allow or diisallow whoever they want but would not give them my business

 

[Tunney]

If one is discriminatory (as the judgement found) then a moratorium should be placed on all Gay Only Hotels, Bars, Clubs and so on until the legislation that is obviously not fit for purpose is revisited and revised.

Has anyone had a problem being denied entry to such venues? I've got gay friends so I've been to plenty of gay bars and clubs. Never once have I been thrown out for being straight.

 

[Castiel]

Would you support hotels for only black or white people?

Difference is that we are talking about sexual preference and not a specific trait.

I would support different hotels for cultural or religious bias, or for gender bias, or for sexual bias. Colour is immaterial to me.

It is a difficult question because whereas a Gay hotel or Bar can be openly Gay, an openly Hetero One would be classed a discriminatory. I agree it is a difficult one to pin down, which group have the greatest right, the couple who wish to cater for a specific clientele, or the couple who wish to stay somewhere that they know doesn't cater for them.

 

[Masterdog]

Their B&B, thier rules.

Law = FAIL

Yeah. Hey, maybe they consider fire alarms to be a form of gambling. Get rid of them. Rats and cockroaches in the kitchen? Hell, we love all of God's animals, don't want to disturb them.
You choose to run a business, you obey the law.

 

[Castiel]

Has anyone had a problem being denied entry to such venues? I've got gay friends so I've been to plenty of gay bars and clubs. Never once have I been thrown out for being straight.

I know some who have been refused entry, yes.

 

[Mr Jack]

Utter rubbish. Sexual discrimination applies to everyone regardless of orientation.

You're quite right. I'd thought section 17 of the act allowed exceptions for organisations such as these but checking the act I see that it actually only covers associations not businesses. Charities aimed at gay men exclusively are permitted under the act, but not hotels.

My bad

 

[Ahleckz]

Surely the owners of the hotel would have to prove that there was intent on having sex.
Simply going to bed with someone for the purposes of sleep does not mean necessarily that a sexual act would occur.

Surely that would depend on the words of the Bible, and the version that they were using? IIRC, it states something along the lines that it forbids 'lying with' as oppose to explicity stating sex with the same gender is forbidding. But, I'm not 100%.

But, the law states (ish) if the couple were treated unfairly because of their sexual orientation then the law has been breached.

 

[Mr Jack]

I totally agree with it. I'm a gay man and I can't get closer to marriage than a civil partnership, so as there is no way for gays to "marry," then this automatically excludes same-sex couples from sleeping together which is discriminatory.

It's actually specifically mentioned in the act too, you can't specifically can't distinguish between marriages and civil partnerships.

 

[Ahleckz]

Difference is that we are talking about sexual preference and not a specific trait.

I would support different hotels for cultural or religious bias, or for gender bias, or for sexual bias. Colour is immaterial to me.

It is a difficult question because whereas a Gay hotel or Bar can be openly Gay, an openly Hetero One would be classed a discriminatory.

An openly heterosexual bar, would be classed as discriminatory? What a load of rubbish. What about all the singles nights advertised, or the speed dating events and so on that explicity state are for straight couples.

 

[Tunney]

I know some who have been refused entry, yes.

For being straight? Where?

 

[Danthus]

The couples argument about sex before marriage is utterly ridiculous. They have absolutely no way of knowing who has sex in their B&B, unless the husband turns into Norman Bates after dark.

Would they allow to straight men to share a twin room, after all they could not rule out that the two men may have a sexual encounter.