Guest asks if we accept LGBTQ

A woman booked via IB 2 weeks before her stay, sending me a terse “3 p.m. arrival” as her only message at booking. I sent my usual post-booking Airbnb message and told her she would get another one the day before arrival.

The next day, I got a text from someone on my phone, off-platform. Of course I had no idea who sent it, but the message said, “Do you accept LGTBQ guests?” I replied, “Absolutely.” Then I followed it up with “I am sorry, but I don’t recognize this number. Would you mind reminding me who is sending this message?”

5 minutes later, the IB for the guest I mention above cancelled, and there was an Airbnb message from her: “Plans fell through.”

Yeah, it could have been just a random thing, but the area code on the text matched the one of the person who booked.

My husband said it was an Airbnb secret shopper. :slight_smile:

Of course we all accept LGBTQ etc. guests, that’s part of the diversity policy we sign up to. Do you think it was an Airbnb or public secret shopper trying to catch you out?
Wasn’t there a legal case where a gay couple took action against Christian B&B hosts a while back?

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Hmm, if I received a text like that I would just delete it.

Was the telephone number the same as on their booking?

What about I?

Did they type “LGTBQ” (as in your post) or “LGBTQ”? I know it seems irrelevant but the order of “LGBT” is so seared on the collective gay consciousness from 50 years of use that I cant imagine someone who was actually LGBT mistyping it the first way. Unless it was a typo of course.

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Lesson you should have learned – NEVER respond to anything off platform that isn’t face-to-face conversation with a friend.

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It was odd, and I have no idea. Just had to share the weirdness of the whole thing. I don’t want to engage with these folks, whatever it was about.

@JamJerrupSunset: They typed it correctly – it was my typo, not theirs. @KenH: I know. I was in the middle of a long conversation via text with my mother’s caregiver and it popped up in the middle. My one word answer is nothing to worry about, though, because it’s true. I had intended to go the platform and inquire with the guest as soon as my mom’s situation was resolved, but their cancellation beat me to it. It was NOT the same phone number as the booking, but it was the same area code. I do get a lot of inquiries this time of year from friends who inquire off platform. I direct them to Airbnb to book.

It’s also possible that the person inquiring is anti-acceptance and they are “voting with their dollars” so to speak. If Airbnb were “secret shopping” they could certainly do it in a more cost efficient, fair and realistic way. I’ve seen listings that flat out state they don’t accept gay people and have been amazed at how long it takes them to remove the host from the platform.

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@KKC, that’s what I think. Happy they didn’t stay.

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Wow. If you see one can you put up a link here? I am interested to see how they word it.

It was a bait. Either by Airbnb or a scammer who would’ve asked for bitcoins if you said NO.

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Being just a little bit evil on some days, I would have been inclined to have a bit of fun with it.

“Do you accept LGTBQ guests?”
“What do you mean exactly?”
"What I said, Do you accept LGTBQ guests?”
“What does LGBTQ mean?”
“Gay, lesbian et cetera”
“What is that?”

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One I keep my eye on isn’t currently available. If I find one I’ll PM you. Some people might be members here.

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"Do you accept LGTBQ guests?”
“What do you mean exactly?”
"What I said, Do you accept LGTBQ guests?”
“What does LGBTQ mean?”
“Gay, lesbian et cetera”
“Oh you mean LGBTQ. Had no idea what you were talking about for a minute”.

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It was my typo, not theirs.