| April 17th, 2004 08:05 AM |
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| nankerphelge |
KEY WEST, Fla. — Three heterosexual couples said they were turned away from a hotel in this gay-friendly tourist spot because of their sexual orientation.
The six were vacationing with a gay couple and had reservations at a hotel called Big Ruby's (search) when the three straight couples were turned away.
"The manager literally said, 'We don't want you here,"' said Jim Pirih, who was vacationing with his partner and straight friends.
The group was already settled in their rooms Wednesday when the manager told the straight couples they would have to leave, citing a policy of not allowing heterosexuals on the property, Pirih said.
"He said he had to appeal to the majority, and the majority of guests wouldn't want straight people there," Pirih said.
The six were allowed to stay one night but had to check out Thursday morning, Pirih said.
Big Ruby's did not immediately return a phone message Friday.
Key West (search) has a city ordinance that prohibits discrimination by sexual orientation in housing and lodging. Violators can face a civil citation and be fined up to $500.
Scott Fraser, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Key West (search), said any discrimination based on sexual orientation is wrong.
"Whether it's a couple turned away from a place of business because they're gay, or a straight couple refused admittance because it's a gay facility, socially and legally that's discrimination and equally as unacceptable," Fraser said Friday. |
| April 17th, 2004 09:45 AM |
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| glencar |
Hopefully these people can find some shyster to pry large sums of money from Big Bad Ruby! |
| April 17th, 2004 02:09 PM |
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| gypsy |
Howe come they wanted to stay in a gay hotel in the first place? |
| April 17th, 2004 02:44 PM |
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| Bloozehound |
I bet they wanted to play queer eye for the straight guy.
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| April 17th, 2004 06:50 PM |
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| nankerphelge |
I stayed in a pretty gay hotel in Palo Alto.
My boss told me the Garden Court was a very nice, so I booked a room.
So I pull up and it is a yellow stucco ranchero style place with a quaint little courtyard. A tall valet with bedroom eyes took and parked the car while I checked in!
The room was spacious with a French door that opened to a small balcony with a cafe table and two chaird overlooking the courtyard. The room had a sumptious minibar and a big 4-post bed with puffy & fluffy bed linens and those fancy pillows that look like those big peppermint candies, and imported Italian lavendar tile throughout the fragrant bathroom.
The valet brought my bags in and gave me the sweetest of smiles as he asked if there was anything else he could do for me that evening!
No.
Thank you.
That will be all.
I don't think my boss was pulling my chain either -- I think he really liked it there!!
He went to one of those white-glove military academies...the name escapes me!
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| April 18th, 2004 09:12 PM |
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| gotdablouse |
Spent a week in Key West in 1998 and me and the wife were made to feel er..."special" at our rather nice hotel (the Victoria?). Sure enough, when I looked at the "Guest Book" during our stay, several people had complained that there "straight couples" staying in the hotel...talking about being tolerant, eh! |
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