A gay couple were turned away from a bed and breakfast by its Christian owner who claimed it was against her convictions for two men to share a bed.
Michael Black and John Morgan from Brampton, Cambridgeshire, booked a double room at the B&B in Cookham, Berkshire, for Friday night.
When they arrived, Susanne Wilkinson and her husband Francis refused to allow them to stay. The owner said later that she had turned them away because it was against her policy to accommodate same sex couples. Black and Morgan claimed they were treated like lepers as a result of their sexuality. They reported the matter to Thames Valley police and have given a statement to police. Under the Equality Act 2006 it is illegal to discriminate against people on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Should they be forced to take in gay couples if it is against their religious beliefs?
Gay couple turned away from B&B by Christian owners | World news | The Guardian
Depends on local laws.
Since a B&B is in a private home, it does make it different than a hotel and motel.
Well, English law is different from U.S. law in this regard.
In general, I lean towards the rights of business owners to refuse service to anyone.
However, put it in a different context. Should a business be able to turn away blacks simply because they're black?
Exactly. What if this were a Black or interracial couple who were refused on those grounds?
No, in that regard, a B&B is no different than a hotel.
Exactly. What if this were a Black or interracial couple who were refused on those grounds?
I disagree. In a B&B you interact with the proprietor's family, it is quite different than a more impersonal Hotel.
Well, I would say that it's within their rights as owner of the private business to do so. It's not to say I would agree with the discrimination.
Legally, it is not within their rights as a business owner to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or gender.
I don't really see the point of legally forcing private business owners to do business with people they find distasteful anyway. I see it as a lose-lose situation for ALL parties.
In the U.S., these laws came about as a result of businesses refusing to serve black people prior to and during the civil rights movement. They aren't ideal, but they serve a purpose.
Those places are easy to deal with. Don't go there. Lack of business will shut them down.
It's a business. If you don't want strangers in your home, don't open a B&B.
For the record, I've stayed in a lot of B&B's and never interacted with anyone but the proprietor/spouse.
This is in England where a Christian B&B owner refused a homosexual couple accommodation. Should this be allowed or not? For those of you who haven't visited the UK, B&Bs are much more common over there and American style motels are rare. Many, many homeowners supplement their incomes by operating B&Bs in their homes.
Should they be forced to take in gay couples if it is against their religious beliefs?
Gay couple turned away from B&B by Christian owners | World news | The Guardian
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