A gay couple visiting Galveston found themselves looking for a place to stay after the bed and breakfast they booked evicted them for nothing other than being who they were.
Johnathan Wang told the local news that he and his partner Brent booked a room in a private home they found listed on the prominent website Airbnb for $140 a night for two nights. They checked into the home that Jonathan described as “gorgeous,” but when they returned from the wedding the owner, identified only as Heather, was waiting for them. According to Johnathan:
Heather asked me where my wife was. ‘Who is this person?’ She demanded of Brent. I said it was my significant other Brent. She said I thought you were bringing a wife. I said I didn’t say that specifically. I said is that going to be OK? She said. It’s not.
The couple was told to leave, even though it was late on a Friday night and there were no rooms available in the area. Johnathan was able to use his contacts as a commercial pilot to find the couple accommodations.
Airbnb took action against the bigoted owner swiftly, and what will turn out to be painfully. She’s been banned from posting on their website and received some scathing remarks:
We have a zero tolerance policy for discrimination on Airbnb. The host in question has been removed from the site. Airbnb has clear guidelines that a host or a guest may not promote hate or bigotry.
When an ABC reporter asked Heather if she refuses to rent to gay couples she snapped, “That’s none of your business, this is my private home.”
Your private home that you open to the public for $140 a night. It’s a shame that such bigotry has to exist. Hopefully nobody shuts this bed and breakfast down. I’d hate to see this jerk make a million dollars off of imbeciles on GoFundMe.
Featured image: Screen Capture
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