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I hope you’ll indulge me on this off topic post celebrating the 40th anniversary year of Sydney’s Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras. 40 years ago in 1978 they held a parade protest march on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The police came in and attacked the marchers and beat up and arrested many of them. Their names were published in the newspaper the next day and some lost their jobs and were outed to their families. The '78ers as they are called now march proudly at the head of the parade. Last year Same Sex Marriage legislation was passed in Australia following a divisive postal survey which nonetheless 13 million people returned (out of 16 million) with 61% in favour of SSM.
What does this have to do with AirBnB? Well maybe you host in NY, London or Hawaii where these things aren’t an issue. I host in country Australia. The local vote for SSM (which was broken down by federal electoral district) was 70% in favour even though it is a Conservative district. Sadly one of my neighbours has started acting out when I have LGBTIQ guests staying. She turns up her music to try and make it annoying. I don’t host gay parties, loud music or anything like that, just the occasional gay, lesbian or trans guest. Maybe 1 out of 20 guests in total. I currently have an awesome lesbian couple staying one of whom has shown me how to properly stake out the plants I am growing as a “Neighbours be Gone” hedge so she can’t make her ridiculous little homophobic hand signs to them and me,
What can you do? Make your LGBTIQ guests feel welcome. Their coin is as good as anyone else’s.
I remember what happened in Sydney 1978, and the aftermath. I probably remember because I had a gay Australian nurse working with me for six months in London. At the time it felt like a huge cultural gulf between Australia and UK, well, perhaps just London. Much of the UK was still, and still is, homophobic.
which college? (Husband is Clare '98) … we lived in Cambridge before moving to the States. I love the round church, it makes everything else seem modern, even the 300 year old stuff.
Thanks for sharing. I host all kinds of guests andluckily have never been discriminated against anywhere I’ve traveled. At least, not that I noticed. History will show that the internet, social media, peer to peer economy contributed hugely to dramatic changes that have happened. When companies like Airbnb say discrimination isn’t going to be tolerated on our platform well ahead of most of the nations they operate it in, it makes a difference.
What a beautiful couple and I love the different colour netting (or whatever material it is) and matching bouquets on the bridesmaids dresses. You must have been so proud.
I was next door at Kings but from 89-92. Not that it would have changed much. I just checked Cambridge on AirBnB and there are a number of “single rooms in central cambridge” which look suspiciously like they might be undergrad college rooms
My sister married her partner last September too. Sadly I couldn’t go because a) it took place 3000 miles away and 2) I was in the hospital - but the photographs of the event were fabulous. What I loved was that my sister’s partner went to ask my dad for his permission to marry his daughter. My dad, bless him, willingly gave his approval. It’s so good that he did that. My dad was in his early nineties at the time. Considering that he was brought up long before the days of same-sex marriages (or even public acceptance of gay people in general) I think that was lovely of him.
Just a word of encouragement & support from “gay-friendly,” north of San Fransisco, to you, all the way down undah! Please Keep on! We are ALL ONE…even ignorant, fearful neighbors. Hard to remember sometimes, tho that doesn’t make it less true. You are brave! as were the strong men and women outed in your amazing and sad histororical tale. Be Well! Douglas & Susan. Sonoma, California, USA
We live in downtown Indianapolis. About 20% of the demographic reports as gay. We have hosted several gay couples and they have all been enjoyable. It also helps two of the six townhomes in our building have gay couples. One next door often flys a pride flag.
We enjoy the diversity of people. Even the minister and his wife who stayed who were obviously a bit homophonic. They met the neighbors and I can only hope it broadended their thinking. Even if just a little bit.
