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Original poster

Is Air BnB safe for women?

41 replies

DJLippy · 24/06/2018 14:28

It looks like Air BnB inclusion policy is not safe for women. It lists 'gender identity' as a protected characteristic but not sex.

If a guest asks for single sex accommodation then by the looks of this the host can self-ID as female - making their policy null and void.

www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1405/airbnb-s-nondiscrimination-policy--our-commitment-to-inclusion-and-respect

There have been past instances where female guests have been sexually assaulted - even murdered by their hosts. Considering the intimate nature of such a service Air BnB really don't seem to understand or care about women's safety.

fortune.com/2017/10/30/airbnb-murder-melbourne/

www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/travel/airbnb-lawsuit-host-sexual-assault.html

www.airbnbhell.com/i-was-gang-raped-in-budapest-and-airbnb-ignored-me-then-insulted-me/

OP posts:
TheChampagneGalop · 24/06/2018 16:09

As I wrote on the deleted thread, the policy makes Air bnb unsafe for women. Now there has already been an incident were a woman thought she'd stay in a woman's house but it turned to be someone biologically male and no lock on the door.

Original poster
DJLippy · 24/06/2018 16:04

I guess my issue is with their 'inclusion policy.'

They do not list sex as a protected characteristic - only gender identity.

Airbnb does not assign a gender identity to our users. We consider the gender of an individual to be what they identify and/or designate on their user profile.

Elsewhere they make it very clear they take a dim view of guests who behave in a non-inclusive manner

Inclusion – We welcome guests of all backgrounds with authentic hospitality and open minds. Joining Airbnb, as a host or guest, means becoming part of a community of inclusion. Bias, prejudice, racism, and hatred have no place on our platform or in our community.

Basically they are breaking the law because 'gender identity' is NOT a protected characteristic - SEX is.

When you consider the lack of decent regulation I think a policy like this is very very irresponsible.

OP posts:
Southfields · 24/06/2018 15:56

MyRelationshipIsWeird

Most of the AirBnB in my town cost more than a guesthouse

miri1985 · 24/06/2018 15:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyRelationshipIsWeird · 24/06/2018 15:21

I can’t understand why anyone would use AirBNB male or female! I know the majority of people are nice and all that, but really what’s the point of cutting these corners?

Uber instead of a licensed cab? It cost more for the journey from city centre to my house! AirBnB instead of a cheap B&B or hotel? Why?!

In the olden days we were warned about getting into strangers’ cars or going back to their house: now we pay them for the privilege.

Just pay a proper amount for a proper service instead of getting into an unsafe situation with god knows who.

Ereshkigal · 24/06/2018 15:15

TBF the gig economy as a whole involves erosion of protections for workers and service users. That’s the business model. That’s the reason it is profitable.

I agree and I have had concerns about it from the start.

AngryAttackKittens · 24/06/2018 15:06

It isn't. Neither are the other gig economy companies though. I know someone who used to work at Uber and let's just say that the stories that hit the news are the tip of the iceberg. One of the many things that those companies save money on is regulatory requirements related to the safety of the people who use their services.

SymphonyofShadows · 24/06/2018 14:49

After reading that thread about tiny cameras in all sorts of things I'm cautious about staying anywhere TBH

Original poster
DJLippy · 24/06/2018 14:46

^sex is a protected characteristic not gender identity

OP posts:
Original poster
DJLippy · 24/06/2018 14:44

They still have to comply with UK law though - don't they? Sex is a protected charecteristic - not sex/

WTAF is 'gender identity'? It's a joke. Any man who say's he's a woman is a woman? Protected characteristics (except for religion) exist because it's things people cannot choose - like race, sexuality, SEX. Therefore it's wrong to discriminate precisely because this is a thing you have no control over. Allowing anybody to self-ID into the category 'woman' makes the legal protections women have been granted meaningless.

OP posts:
QuinnElle · 24/06/2018 14:42

The article you have quoted about an air b and b murder, the victim was a man.

Offred · 24/06/2018 14:42

There is a problem if generally people assume these things are safe and regulated to the same standards as other similar services. You can see why they would when it is a new thing and also has a co-ordinating company name.

The issue with air bnb is governments haven’t had time to respond to it. At least in the U.K. existing law allowed scrutiny to be given re the safety of uber.

placemats · 24/06/2018 14:41

I'm convinced it's not solely confined to AirBnB though.

I find that as a single parent and a single woman who likes to travel alone and with my family, if a MAN isn't in the picture - despite a teenage son and a son in law, I'm property to be taken care of.

Offred · 24/06/2018 14:38

TBF the gig economy as a whole involves erosion of protections for workers and service users. That’s the business model. That’s the reason it is profitable.

I wouldn’t stay in an air BnB as a woman on my own and think I was protected by what some random person offering a room had said to me on the Internet!

Which is not to say I think women shouldn’t use them or that the providers of rooms/homes should be allowed to be dishonest/abusive, it’s just the reality. These things are profitable because they cut safeguards and regulation. That makes them less safe.

Original poster
DJLippy · 24/06/2018 14:32

I don't think their inclusion policy is legal.

OP posts:
Dinosaurchicken · 24/06/2018 14:30

I take your point. But not much is safe for women is it ? Sad

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