Straight Couples Claim Discrimination At Key West Gay Hotel

[freetobegay]

(Key West, Florida) Three straight couples say they were told to leave a Key West hotel because they are not gay, even though they were on vacation with a same-sex couple and all had reservations.

The couples, all from the San Diego area, say they had checked in at Big Ruby's and were in their rooms when the manager knocked on their doors and said they would have to leave .

The gay couple, Jim Pirih and his partner Jason Williams had stayed at the hotel a year ago, and decided to return this year with their straight friends.

"The manager literally said, 'We don't want you here,"' said Pirih. He cited a policy of not allowing heterosexuals on the property, Pirih said.

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/04/041604kWestDisc.htm

SNIP

As a Gay man I think this is wrong, although, I can appreciate the poetic justice here.

[DarkPhenyx]

1. It's still discrimination though.

If we are willing to allow it in this case we must allow it in all cases. To do otherwise would be hypocritical. We aren't hypocrits, are we?

[freetobegay]

2. I did state I thought it was wrong

But am a big fan of poetic justice.

[DarkPhenyx]

3. It isn't justice either.

Unless you can prove these people were homophobic, or even unsupportive of homosexual people.

[freetobegay]

8. Ain't America Great!

I said I think it is wrong & you still want to argue with me & make something out of nothing. Have a good night.

[DarkPhenyx]

11. You also claimed it was "poetic jsutice"

which would indicate to me that your belief in it's wrongness is halfhearted at best.

[dsc]

4. and that is why we advocate laws prohibiting

discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Note not discrimination based on being LGBT.

[DarkPhenyx]

5. So you are against the action of the hotel owner...

...and are preparing to march against it?

[dsc]

7. I live in Ohio

and have pressing family business. Frankly I am a little on the busy side. But, a law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, would make that action illegal. I would have thought my post was clear, sorry it wasn't.

[DarkPhenyx]

9. Just checking.

There is a lot of closeted hypocrasy on our side of the fence. I've kinda made it a mission to root it out where I can.

[mitchtv]

6. I think this was covered yesterday

But, Big Ruby's may have a legal basis for their decision. Florida law allows a clothing-optional resort to be gender exclusive and prohibit children. The hotel allows nudity at its pool and sunbathing areas, but only in those areas. Whether that would meet the conditions of the state regulation would have to be determined by a court. Today also Methinks there is more to this than meets the eye. There is a current false allegation puported by well known ambulance chasing firm in LA accusing a gay resort in PSP of the same- I smell a rat, and give the benefit of the doubt to the rsort- sorry
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=491634

[cally]

10. I looked at the links to this resort

and how would heterosexuals realize they were unwelcome? A few subtle clues were on the website but how can anyone expect us to realize that means we are unwelcome. I cannot support bigotry in whatever form. It's just wrong.

[mitchtv]

15. maybe the two gay friends who were with them, and been there before,

should have known better. I would have known, 'clothing optional gay hotel' tells me all I need to know.( No fun around that pool being "observed")I would go else where .

[Warpy]

12. Two wrongs never make a right

....and discriminating against random people because a few cretins that belong to a statisitcally very large class discriminated against you some time in the past is NOT JUSTICE, poetic or otherwise.

Discriminating against people for the way they were born is just plain wrong, whether they were born a certain color, nationality, gender or sexual orientation. If you must be discriminatory, try to restrict yourself for the bigots out there who do discrriminate against people for any of the above.

That hotel is just plain wrong. Discriminating againt friends in the larger community is not only unjust, it's just plain stupid. The worst thing any minority can do is play that game.

[freetobegay]

13. I'll remember to tell that to all the Mathew Shepards of the world!

eom

[Warpy]

14. What the hell is THAT supposed to mean?

Are you suggesting that since Shepard was beaten to death by a couple of drunken phobes that the proper response would be to randomly select men at bars and beat them to death on the off chance they might be phobes?

Are you sure that's the kind of world you want?

[mitchtv]

16. That hotel is just plain wrong. Discriminating againt friends in the large

Oh see how horrible those Gyas are seen it last weekin PSP I smell a rat sorry.

[mitchtv]

18. Oh see those horrible gays= what bullsh*t

That hotel is just plain wrong. Discriminating againt friends in the larger community is not only unjust, it's just plain stupid. The worst thing any minority can do is play that game. I don't believe it and think there is more to this than meets the eye, let them gawk somewhere else that wants to see them in the nude. They have the option of being gender specific and I for one would prefer it as i suspect most Gay females would.

[aljosefs]

21. Is "Gay Exclusive" Accommodations Discrimination?

I was surprised to see so many people criticize Big Ruby's for
enforcing its publicly stated policy exclusively gay
accommodations.

In a perfect world one could make an argument that this is
discrimination.  The fact of the matter is that there are many
laws throughout the country which allow exclusivity in
accommodations on the basis of age, disability, gender, etc. 
There are educational institutions which allow exclusivity on
the basis of religion, race, etc.  Movie theaters and
restaurants and hotels have senior citizen rates based
exclusively on age.  the list is endless.

As a frequent gay visitor to Key West I am shocked and find it
somewhat disingenuous that so many people including the leader
of the gay and lesbian center seem to be professing ignorance
to the fact that so many of the guest houses in Key West
openly advertise themselves as exclusively gay.  Some go
further and openly advertise themselves as exclusively gay
male.  

The entire issue is an extremely complex legal one. It has
segments of the principals of affirmative action vs reverse
discrimination as well as privacy issues.  Ultimately this
entire matter is a legal one and if challenged needs to be
decided in the courts.  

I am very skeptical as to the motives of the three
heterosexual couples and the gay couple.  I find it extremely
insensitive of the gay couple to invite these friends to Big
Ruby's.  I have heard that some of the heterosexual patrons
were attorneys.  How bizarre is that?  It almost sounds like
an entrapment.  The last thing that a person going to a gay
resort wants to see that attorney from his law firm, who
doesn't know he is gay, walking into that gay establishment.  

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

17. Discrimination is discrimination

we shouldn't tolerate it anywhere, in any form. I am a straight woman who has marched, given money, time, and support, and written letters until my hand cramped to my representatives to support full gay and lesbian rights, including the right to marry. I don't know why I would tolerate discrimination based on sexuality anywhere.

Imagine if they were a homosexual couple being told to leave. Bet you don't have to imagine too hard. So why is it any better when done the other way around? How does that help?

I'm sitting over here talking to every straight person I know about standing up and supporting our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in the fight for equal rights........

[mitchtv]

19. I guess they are just a gay form of "SANDLES" resorts

unless gay resorts are fairly exclusive the cease to be gay resorts. I've seen countless gay bars 'destroyed ' by strates . Lesbian bars have a particularly tough time of it with men wanting to go in.( the women stop coming-quickly, the bar dies) It'sa tough situation and must be navigated carefully.

[mitchtv]

20. it is my understanding that unescorted males are not admitted

in Chippendales shows. Is that true anyone? should we protest that?