Being discriminated Against

unholyangel

suited-aces wrote: »

If a group of 2 gay males and 2 gay females are allowed under the rules, it's not discriminatory.

Sorry but i disagree. The rule disadvantages gay couples of the same sex who may wish to holiday together yet would not disadvantage straight couples wishing to holiday together.

Thats indirect discrimination. I would say its a sexuality matter as opposed to gender matter as regardless if the couples were male or female, they would not be allowed to stay.

They should be regarded as 2 couples and not as a same sex group. They just want to book the holiday as 2 straight couples would be able to but cant because (effectively) of their sexuality.

I dont dispute their policy is there for a reason, but tbh they need someone with a bit of common sense enforcing it. Some people take things too literally. The policy should be enforced for the purpose that it was intended (to stop stag/hen parties) and ONLY for the purpose it was intended.

TBH it just reminds me of that thread where an adult was refused alcohol because they had their kids with them when doing their weekly shopping. The whole silly situation could have been avoided if one person had exercised a bit of common sense.

halibut2209

unholyangel wrote: »

The whole silly situation could have been avoided if one person had exercised a bit of common sense.

If they let 4 gay women stay as a group, but not 4 straight women, then that IS discrimination.

The fact is that disallowing groups is a common and recognised practise. One only needs to go to Blackpool - the capital of hen/stag nights to see countless hotels with "no same-sex groups" in their windows.

RadoJo

unholyangel wrote: »

I dont dispute their policy is there for a reason, but tbh they need someone with a bit of common sense enforcing it. Some people take things too literally. The policy should be enforced for the purpose that it was intended (to stop stag/hen parties) and ONLY for the purpose it was intended.

TBH it just reminds me of that thread where an adult was refused alcohol because they had their kids with them when doing their weekly shopping. The whole silly situation could have been avoided if one person had exercised a bit of common sense.

But how can 'common sense' tell you from a phone call whether the person booking is lying about being gay to circumvent the rules? I know I would have had no qualms about doing so when I was a youngster on holiday, if I thought it would achieve the desired result, which effectively means that they can't apply any policy to prevent large groups turning up and disrupting their campsite.

I completely agree that this situation isn't ideal (and if I was the OP I would be fuming), but in the absence of a practical way to resolve the situation I'm at a loss as to how they could improve their policies to make everyone happy. Would it be discrimination if they asked gay couples to prove their relationship (i.e the OP originally mentioned that the other couple have a civil partnership, which would be one way of confirming that they aren't a hen do trying it on) but if they only ask gay couples to prove their relationship status then surely that's discrimination as well.

Mark_Hewitt

halibut2209 wrote: »

Nonsense.

No same sex groups allowed, wither heterosexual or homosexual. One's sexuality plays NO role at all in this. It is not discrimination.

If you allowed homosexual same-sex parties, then THAT would be discrimination against heterosexuals.

That's your opinion, and my opinion happens to agree with yours. However, the law here says it's discrimination, and that trumps both of us!

squeaky

So the general concensus is that the law says that it's discrimination, and that the camp site have not presented their policy very well. Yes/no?

So what, if any, recourse does the OP have?

halibut2209

I've just be looking into the aforementioned Blackpool hotels and reading their terms and conditions. A lot of them have very similar wording


Sorry we do not take same sex bookings at weekends. This is NOT JUST limited to stag or hen parties. The ONLY exception to this is if your party is in age range of 35 + in which case we would discuss it first via telephone. Now that we have added the online booking facility it is crucial you understand our policy. If you make a booking online or over the phone, and it is accepted, and when you check in it is obvious that you are part of a same sex booking group we WILL charge your card for the accommodation AND ask that you find an alternative accommodation. We still get folk ringing EVERY day asking that because their group isn't a hen party (it's just a birthday group) that we should accept them - sorry - WE DO NOT ACCEPT SAME SEX GROUPS (where ANY member of the party is under 35 years old) whether it is your birthday, stag/hen party, leaving do, golfing trip, or many other reasons.


The only exception to this is if you are a gay couple - we are gay friendly.

Aside from the fact there are two only exceptions then perhaps the OP does have a case

milliemonster

So they are discriminating against 2 same sex friends that aren't gay making a booking then?

I have to say I think the equality act is now going too far and is also quite ambiguous. I really feel for the OP and would be just as angry if I were in her shoes, I don't know what the answer is.

goodgirl80

taded wrote: »

Yes Hermia Im going to write a letter. In the past we have never had this problem before when booking to go camping. Im always honest when booking a room or a holiday that my partner is female. Luckily we have booked elsewhere.

Shouldn't have to mention it in any case :eek: I never book somewhere and go 'Oh by the way, we're a heterosexual couple'

[Deleted User]

halibut2209 wrote: »

I've just be looking into the aforementioned Blackpool hotels and reading their terms and conditions. A lot of them have very similar wording


Sorry we do not take same sex bookings at weekends. This is NOT JUST limited to stag or hen parties. The ONLY exception to this is if your party is in age range of 35 + in which case we would discuss it first via telephone. Now that we have added the online booking facility it is crucial you understand our policy. If you make a booking online or over the phone, and it is accepted, and when you check in it is obvious that you are part of a same sex booking group we WILL charge your card for the accommodation AND ask that you find an alternative accommodation. We still get folk ringing EVERY day asking that because their group isn't a hen party (it's just a birthday group) that we should accept them - sorry - WE DO NOT ACCEPT SAME SEX GROUPS (where ANY member of the party is under 35 years old) whether it is your birthday, stag/hen party, leaving do, golfing trip, or many other reasons.


The only exception to this is if you are a gay couple - we are gay friendly.

Aside from the fact there are two only exceptions then perhaps the OP does have a case

Sounds like direct age discrimination AND discrimination on the grounds of sexuality (you can't make allowances for gay couples and NOT for straight couples)

Why can't establishments make non-discriminatory policies? It can't be too hard

vyle

It's all a bit mental. Quite a few times, my partner and I have arrived at a hotel to find they've assumed we made a mistake when asking for a double room, and have provided two single beds, and it feels a bit awkward going down to explain, so most of the time we haven't bothered.

I can see why same sex groups aren't allowed, but then, when I was young I had a group of friends of all genders and we could raise hell just as well as when I was just with my male friends or just female friends.

Where does discrimination end? Do we discriminate against the young, despite there being many respectable younger people who want a quiet holiday... it isn't just the young who can cause trouble, after all.

Do we discriminate against straight people by saying that the only exception to single sex group rules are if you're gay?

Do we discriminate against gay people by saying only straight couples are allowed to share?

If campsites and hotels only took bookings based on individual circumstances, I imagine there would be many complaints about how awkward it's become to book a hotel.

I know I'd hate having to prove that I AM in a civil partnership and to then attend an interview to determine whether I'm likely to throw up in the bins or not.

I can see that there is a problem, but I can't think of a practical workaround for the owners of those establishments.