Texas Lady So Mad Airbnb Gave Her Bed, Breakfast And Bigotry The Boot

[Capt. Obvious]

Let’s fire up a new GoFundMe for a lady bigot what’s hatin’ the gays! The city: Galveston, Texas. The business: Airbnb. The gays: Jonathan and Brent. So here is what happened. Jonathan Wang and his man-lover Brent (no last name provided, maybe he is like Madonna!) were in Galveston to see their friends get married, and they found themselves a nice bed and breakfast on the Airbnb website. Everything was great until they came back and met the owner, some bing bong named “Heather,” who inquired as to where his lovely wife might be. Wang was like “nope, lady, ain’t got no wife, but this is my man friend Brent!” Heather did NOT like that:

“She said I thought you were bringing a wife. I said I didn’t say that specifically. I said is that going to be OK? She said. It’s not,” said Wang.

Wang said the hosts told them to get out. He said he began packing his things.

....

It was a giant pain in the ass, but Wang and his dude-friend found a new place. As for Heather, she explains that she was “completely of her realms and morals” in making her decision, which are some words that do not even make sense together, even in Texas. We are going to guess she was homeschooled.

....

But unfortunately for Heather, she’s not welcome on Airbnb, because that company is ALSO completely “of its realms and morals” and has clearly declared war on good gay-hating Christians. The company released the following statement to ABC13:

“We have a zero tolerance policy for discrimination on Airbnb. The host in question has been removed from the site. Airbnb has clear guidelines that a host or a guest may not promote hate or bigotry.”

....

Blind link to insult intelligence through deception

[jberryhill]

1. Kinda weird....

Why would you sign up to provide services to "the public", and not realize that "the public" includes everybody?

[ellie]

2. Because you live in a vacuum where

you believe everyone thinks like you? Or you are an idiot and a rebuke, but then I am repeating myself.

[jberryhill]

5. I suppose

But it is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that these people would sign up for a service under which they would host whoever happens to sign up, and not realize that it may well include people who are different from themselves.

[jeff47]

7. You mean like opening a business selling wedding cakes or pizza?

Tip: If you want to maintain your bigotry, don't call it a business. Call it a club and require "membership" in the club to access the club's "services".

[jberryhill]

8. Yeah

I guess what made this one stuck out is that they signed up to be listed in an app used by a gazillion people worldwide.

[zazen]

3. I empathize--I wouldn't want scary fundamentalists staying in my house, which is why I'm not on Airbnb

Having a pleasant chat on the sidewalk--sure. I have a few right wing neighbors. I try.

But I want a zone around my home where I choose whom to have in it, especially overnight--I guess she does too. I don't want someone using the N word at my breakfast table or railing against "feminizes" or talking about global Jewish conspiracy theories.

She's got the right to hate whomever she wants. Just means she shouldn't be selling her services in this way. Maybe she can market through online fundamentalist B&Bs or something.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. I read "straight friendly" to mean she was gay but accepted straights.

Just as I would read "gay friendly" with quotes to mean she was straight but accepted gays.
Altho either phrase sounds a bit stilted in a B&B ad.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. I can tell this is 'Wonkette' writing. Here is a version without the backhand. And it has video!

"Jonathan Wang and his partner, Brent, booked two nights in the home for a weekend getaway to Galveston for a friend's wedding. After returning from a reception on Friday night, they encountered the owner, identified only as Heather. From KTRK:

"Heather asked me, where my wife was. Who is this person? I said it was my significant other Brent. She said I thought you were bringing a wife. I said I didn't say that specifically. I said is that going to be OK? She said. It's not," said Wang.

Wang said the hosts told them to get out. He said he began packing his things.

"She also commented while we were going upstairs that was their bedroom upstairs so they were even more uncomfortable with it," said Wang.

Wang and has partner had nowhere else to go but were eventually able to find a hotel room."
http://www.towleroad.com/2015/04/airbnb-removes-user-who-evicted-gay-couple-from-home-in-galveston-texas-video.html

[Retrograde]

9. There are circumstances in which discrimination is legal

When renting a room in an owner-occupied private house, said owner is generally exempt from the rules forbidding discrimination against certain classes that apply to apartment or hotel room rentals. If the house is also used as a place of business, such as a small bed and breakfast inn that advertises itself to the general public - that's a different case (I believe, but IANAL). Airbnb seems to want to have it both ways: it acts like its a hotel broker when it's convenient, but swears it's just helps people help people other times.

I've only used Airbnb once,when it first started, and my experience was positive. However, I remember some correspondence back and forth with the leaser beforehand. It looks like in this case the owner tried to state her prejudices up front, although not in the clearest possible language. I'd actually place the onus on Airbnb in this case: it's not the first time not being up on housing laws has bitten them or their users.

[whatthehey]

10. I missed where they made a legal argument to the contrary

Either the would-be guests or airbnb. Was it there? Did they file suit saying she must accommodate them? If not, her legal status in refusing to do so is irrelevant. This is a question of business relationships, not law.

There surely is no law stating Airbnb has to include providers who do not meet their standards of inclusion, so they made no error whatsoever.