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Original poster

Hotels that are "Gay friendly" ???

27 replies

mummyloveslucy · 05/04/2010 23:24

Hi, I was looking for a hotel neer the airport yesterday and as I was reading about it I was quite to see that listed with the tea, coffee making facilities, free parking etc was gay friendly. Shouldn't that go without saying? It's like saying "non racist" or something.
I just thought that was really sad. We have a couple of lovely gay friends and I can't imagine any hotel being hostile to them.

OP posts:
strawberrykate · 05/04/2010 23:32

I guess they are making a positive statement as a reaction to recent news about a gay couple in a B&B. There is prejudice out there and I quite like the fact that a business is willing to stan dup in support of Gay people instead of ignoring the issue. I'm sure they woud advertise as 'non-racist' if there was a well publisied problem in the industry.

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 05/04/2010 23:35

Oh, I didn't see that. I haven't been watching T.V recently. I'll look it up.

OP posts:
strawberrykate · 05/04/2010 23:38

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8578787.stm

strawberrykate · 05/04/2010 23:38

Big issue now..www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/7557139/Chris-Grayling-Support-for-Conserv atives-among-gays-drops-sharply-after-BandB-row.html

ElleBing · 05/04/2010 23:43

That story made me .

I hope that in my lifetime that we see homophobes treated with the same revulsion as racists. That B&B couple got treated like they were slightly twee, old-fashioned bumblers instead of vile bigots.

ChippingIn · 05/04/2010 23:44

mummyloveslucy - I wondered if you were trying to tell us something

It does seem mad, in this day & age, to have to advertise your business as 'Gay Friendly'.

Also, I always wonder what they mean when they say this?? Do they put Gay porn in the rooms, have His & His and Her & Her towels etc - I mean FGS - a room is a room, does it need to be 'Gay Friendly'??

I have seen this prior to the recent stuff in the news, although I suppose this does offer one explanation for it.

A few of my friends are gay, one couple in particular, one of the women is quite a bit older than the other, so people tend to assume they are mother & daughter - it gets a few when they book a double!!

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 05/04/2010 23:45

Thanks for the link. I thought it would be illegal to do that. People can be so narrow minded.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 05/04/2010 23:49

Oh, I can see why you might've thought that. I should've re-phrased the title.

OP posts:
Quattrocento · 05/04/2010 23:52

I don't know if there are gradations of hotels that are gay friendly though?

I recall walking into a very gay friendly hotel in Brighton. It was in fact a hotel that primarily catered for gay people. Incredible pink lounge. Massively fun place to stay.

So perhaps that's what they meant when they advertised that they were gay friendly?

ChippingIn · 05/04/2010 23:53

WRT the article linked here:

I have to say, being completely honest (not always a good move on MN), that as it is a guest house, in their own home, I do support them being able to choose who stays and who doesn't - whether that is based on prejudice, fear, religion, nationality, or just plain preference.

What if a couple of scary looking blokes turned up that you weren't comfortable with having in your guest house (home!!), do you still think they should be obliged to allow them to stay?

Guesthouses are allowed to advertise - no children as a preference... why is it any different - it's a preference who stays in their home.

It would be completely different in a non-personal situation such as a hotel.

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 05/04/2010 23:59

I can see where you're comming from, but this was just her homophobia, not because she was scared or anything. She could've had a man and his mistress staying there and she'd be o.k with that.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 06/04/2010 00:00

That hotel sounds cool BTW, I'd love the pink lounge. It would probubly take me ages to realise it's mostly for gay couples.

OP posts:
strawberrykate · 06/04/2010 00:02

hmm ChippingIn, I'd equate the situation as being nearer to a 'no blacks' policy or 'no muslims'. There's no danger if this case. They would be entitled to protect themselves by refusing potentially dangerous customers, but not to discriminate on disability/ religion/ ethnicity.

BoneyBackJefferson · 06/04/2010 00:05

If you read the whole story (from all the sources) the owners didn't want them to share the bed. they have said that they would have offered a different room but none where available.

ElleBing

there are "vile bigots" on both sides of the fence.

Dominique07 · 06/04/2010 00:09

Some bars advertise themselves as gay friendly, isn't that what the rainbow flags/signs are for?
I guess they have a different reason for wanting to advertise it, but I think its ok for the hotel to say it, but yes, it does kind of highlight the possibility that it might not be(gay-friendly).

gtamom · 06/04/2010 00:10

We had friends (female couple) who were refused a room at a Sandals resort a few years ago. That is an example of not being gay friendly! They have since changed their policy.

Gay friendly means you will be made to feel welcome and comfortable, people are not going to stare at you dancing, holding hands and so on, with your so. Basically you will be treated the same as everyone else. (As you should be) Probably be brochures with listings of gay bats and events & stuff in the area, as well as straight stuff.

TiggyD · 06/04/2010 00:13

I suppose there is a difference between a place that puts up with gays because the law says they have to and one that actually welcomes them.

gtamom · 06/04/2010 00:13

"Gay bars, I meant, although gay bats may be popular with vampire types.

oldraver · 06/04/2010 00:16

I reckon I know which one you mean as I was looking at the same one that and I too thought it odd at being advertised as 'Gay Friendly'. Though in light of the recent news that a couple of hoteliers wouldn't take a booking form a male gay couple and that gay friends tell me they still have to be discreet when booking hotels/cottages ... I'm not surprised

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 06/04/2010 00:16

gtamom- It's a shame not all places are like that. I thought times had changed but it seems there is still a long way to go.

OP posts:
JaneS · 06/04/2010 08:31

Hmmm ... you might quite like to know a hotel was 'gay friendly. When I was 19 a female friend and I ended up in Paris looking for a cheap hotel, wandered into an area with many friendly looking bars and a charming hotel, where we felt very stupid because we couldn't manage to explain in our bad French that we wanted two single beds, not one double.

Ahh ... so innocent. They kept smiling sadly at us and clearly wondering why the British were so repressed about showing proper emotion.

troublewithtalk · 06/04/2010 17:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ILovePlayingDarts · 06/04/2010 17:59

Actually, "Gay Friendly" generally means "gay only", but with the law as it stands, they can't advertise that it discriminates against heterosexuals.

troublewithtalk · 06/04/2010 18:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ILovePlayingDarts · 06/04/2010 18:07

Oh, we still haev a Working Men's club in our town. But it doesn't discriminate, it lets everyone in!