News (USA)

Home rental website drops ‘straight friendly’ B&B for ejecting same-sex couple

Home rental website drops ‘straight friendly’ B&B for ejecting same-sex couple

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GALVESTON, Texas — The popular home renting website AirBNB has dropped a Galveston Bed & Breakfast after allegations surfaced that the owner kicked a gay couple out of the home she rented to them through the site.

Jonathan Wang tells KTRK-TV that he and his partner booked a two-night stay late last month to attend a wedding reception in the area.

But after unpacking their bags and heading to the wedding reception, they returned to the bed and breakfast and were quizzed by the owner, identified only as Heather, who asked Wang where his wife was.

“Heather asked me, where my wife was. Who is this person? I said it was my significant other Brent. She said I thought you were bringing a wife. I said I didn’t say that specifically. I said is that going to be OK? She said, ‘It’s not,'” said Wang.

The couple, who were forced to find a hotel for the night at the last minute, said they later discovered that Heather had described her property as “straight friendly” at the bottom of the listing.

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AirBNB issued a statement condemning the incident, saying it has a “zero tolerance policy” and that “the host in question has been removed from the site.”

AirBNB also refunded the couple and paid for a night at the hotel they ultimately stayed in. The couple declined to identify the B&B by name.

KTRK-TV reports:

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