Time and time again, Silicon Valley types sell us on their Utopian visions of the latest crowdsourcing platform. And time and time again, we’re shocked when a platform relying on people brings along people’s general sh*ttiness with it. Airbnb has already had so many accusations of racism that people are starting up separate platforms for black renters, and now gay men are reporting the same treatment.
In Austin of all places, Buddy Fisher says he was denied a stay at an Airbnb because he was gay. The Houston man was going to the Texas capital to take part in Pride. But being honest about his intentions got his request rejected.
“It asked me when I started the process why I was coming to Austin, and I told them I was going to Austin for the Pride festival,” Fisher told CBS Houston.
The response he received was very frank in why he was being rejected.
“No LGBT people, please,” the lister wrote. “I do not support people who are against humanity. Sorry.”
Fisher said he was hurt by the accusation that his sexual orientation was somehow against humanity.
“It really, really upset me, because I don’t feel like I don’t support humanity,” he said.
Airbnb does have a zero tolerance policy about instances of discrimination, and it quickly booted the lister from the site and banned him from listing other properties.
There have been instances of LGBT people taking the sharing economy into their own hands. After experiencing discrimination through Uber, San Francisco’s queer community and drag queens started up Homobiles, a non-profit that offers rides for voluntary donations.
(via Consumerist)
