So the Observer have a secret recording of Chris Grayling saying that B&B owners should be allowed to bar gay people from their establishments if they so choose, and the BBC are predictably wetting their knickers over it. So far, so much phoney war.
Let me state at the outset that i) We used to run a small B&B here is rural West Wales, and ii) I have no problem with gays whatsoever. If we had had a gay couple (of either sex) turn up at the door when we were running the B&B, I would not have had the slightest problem with welcoming them in. I have gay friends and even a gay ex-partner (no prizes for guessing why that one didn't work out), and I am on good terms with them all.
But the law is utterly hypocritical. Compare these two hotels:
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Stagz Hotel has been run as a straight hotel for the past 24 years, and is one of the most popular and longest established straight hotels in Blackpool, catering for straight couples, singles and groups who want a straight environment with quality accommodation.
Previously voted 3rd best straight hotel in UK!!
Stagz is a GENUINE Straight Hotel. That means it is a hotel owned and run BY straight people FOR straight people, but beware there are some gay owned ‘Stag Pound’ friendly Hotels locally that display the Playboy Bunny sign trying to cash in on straight money, and it isn’t until you check in that you discover they may be gay, or even have homosexual parties staying.!!!
If you are specifically looking for a Straight Hotel be sure to ask if it is exclusively straight when booking to avoid possible disappointment.
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Guyz Hotel has been run as a gay hotel for the past 24 years, and is one of the most popular and longest established gay hotels in Blackpool, catering for gay couples, singles and groups who want a gay environment with quality accommodation.
Previously voted 3rd best gay hotel in UK!!
Guyz is a GENUINE Gay Hotel. That means it is a hotel owned and run BY gay people FOR gay people, but beware there are some straight owned ‘Pink Pound’ friendly Hotels locally that display the pride flag trying to cash in on gay money, and it isn’t until you check in that you discover they may be mixed, or even have STAG & HEN parties staying.!!!
If you are specifically looking for a Gay Hotel be sure to ask if it is exclusively gay when booking to avoid possible disappointment.
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One of these websites is likely to be discriminatory and highly illegal. The other is apparently quite OK. I'll leave you to guess which one. If anyone can explain this anomaly, and specifically why both the underlined sentences are not equally illegal, I would be very grateful.
They're both equally illegal.
ReplyDeleteFrom the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6322075.stm):
Mark Hurst, 47, said the proposed legislation would force him to open his doors to heterosexual guests.
He said that may put off many of his gay guests and put him out of business.
Mr Hurst, who runs Guyz hotel in Blackpool with his partner Steve, said: "Rather than improve gay rights, it will make things much worse. We run a gay hotel exclusively for men."
"We feel if we were forced to a situation where we had to accept heterosexual people into our hotel, our gay clientele will not behave as naturally as they would now."
One assumes that hasn't been put to the test because, frankly, most people have the good sense to avoid places where they simply don't fit in.
Still, no need to spoil a non-story with facts, when the gay community can be outraged at Chris Grayling's blatant homophobia. After all, despite his impeccable record of pro-gay voting, he had the cheek to say: "I think we need to allow people to have their own consciences...I took the view that if it's a question of somebody who's doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn't come into their own home." He doesn't want the law changed and he doesn't want that to be the case in any other kind of establishment.
In fact, you could interpret it as suggesting that people should have mutual respect for each other's lifestyles, beliefs and comfort, rather than insisting that they have rights that will, if necessary, be hammered home with the full force of the law. Rather like having real diversity instead of a lot of single-issue vocal minority equality legislation to create the illusion of it.
That passes for homophobia these days, does it?
Wonder what would happen if it had been a Muslim B&B instead of a Christian one?
Interesting follow-up - I didn't see that one. Fair point: the gay community have as much right to choose who they associate with as anyone else, and laws like this spoil it for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThere's a big difference between a city-centre hotel and a cottage in the country with a spare bedroom. For one thing, there is security to think of. If you let someone under your roof you need to feel comfortable with them. That's nothing to do with anti-gay prejudice and everything to do with your own instincts about who you let into your house.
A Muslim B&B? Interesting thought. I suspect the police would not wish to be involved in any way.