Equality Law upheld

[marshlander]

I thought we had a thread about this case, but I can't find it, so forgive me for starting it up again.

In 2008 Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy were denied a double room at a privately owned guest house in Cornwall. Judge Andrew Rutherford ruled that the owners were breaking the law by doing so.

I realise that for many on here, state "interference" in the beliefs of individuals is going to cause a problem. However, I thought the judge's summing up made some interesting points:

"We live today in a parliamentary democracy. Our laws are made by the Queen in Parliament. It is inevitable that such laws will from time to time cut across deeply held beliefs of individuals and sections of society for they reflect the social attitudes and morals prevailing at the time that they are made.

"In the last 50 years there have been many such instances - the abolition of capital punishment; the abolition of corporal punishment in schools; the decriminalisation of homosexuality and of suicide; and on a more mundane level the ban on hunting and on smoking in public places.

"All of these - and they are only examples - have offended sections of the population and in some cases cut across traditional religious beliefs. These laws have come into being because of changes in social attitudes.

"The standards and principles governing our behaviour which were unquestioningly accepted in one generation may not be so accepted in the next. I am quite satisfied as to the genuineness of the defendants' beliefs and it is, I have no doubt, one which others also hold.

"It is a very clear example of how social attitudes have changed over the years for it is not so very long ago that these beliefs of the defendants would have been those accepted as normal by society at large. Now it is the other way around."

So while PA and I may still face the prospect of leering kids on the reception desk making smutty innuendos at least we can sleep easily in our double bed knowing that we have a legal right to be there!

[Cardiganwearer]

An excellent outcome, but they've been given leave to appeal. Still it's nice to see the Christian Institute p%ssing money away on the case.

Well, actually it's not, there are many charities, christian charities, who could have made far better use of the money.

[marshlander]

An excellent outcome, but they've been given leave to appeal. Still it's nice to see the Christian Institute p%ssing money away on the case.

Well, actually it's not, there are many charities, christian charities, who could have made far better use of the money.

Christian Institute, Christian Voice ... the loonies who run these groups are more preoccupied with sex than anyone else I know. I wonder how many new safe wells these campaigns would pay for in places where people don't have clean water?

When I was a child we were taught to judge our own decisions by asking ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" Pity some people are too busy bullying others to give the question much thought.

[joseph]

did somone lauf at you and princelaberto when you gone to a hotel. i think it shoud be not alooued making fun of peple and aswel say you are diffrint an cant do it

[marshlander]

did somone lauf at you and princelaberto when you gone to a hotel. i think it shoud be not alooued making fun of peple and aswel say you are diffrint an cant do it

Yes, Joseph. A few years ago Princealberto and I arrived late at Luton Airport and he missed his flight home. He was able to get a flight for the next day though , so we booked into the hotel next to the airport. The young man at the reception desk assumed we wanted a twin room. That means a room with two single beds. I told him that we wanted a double room. I suppose he thought it was funny for two middle-aged men to want to sleep in the same bed. He wasn't very nice about it.

[FieryJoker!!!]

As a newly out person I didn't even think of this being a problem for a gay person. How can a country have gay parades and something so trivial as renting a room be a problem. makes no sense to me. Atleast I have a legal rite to sleep in a hotel room with who ever i want

[colinmackay]

Yes, Joseph. A few years ago Princealberto and I arrived late at Luton Airport and he missed his flight home. He was able to get a flight for the next day though , so we booked into the hotel next to the airport. The young man at the reception desk assumed we wanted a twin room. That means a room with two single beds. I told him that we wanted a double room. I suppose he thought it was funny for two middle-aged men to want to sleep in the same bed. He wasn't very nice about it.

Was that the Ibis? I've stayed there a couple of times. Not the best place in the world, even for a lone traveller.

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[Miles]

Sure, there's the whole private establishment thing, but as a business you'd think they wouldn't care if two guys wanted a double as long as they're paying customers. It's not like it's three guys in a triangular love pact wearing tutus and makeup and BDSM gear danced into the lobby with a goat on a leash in tow.

[colinmackay]

As a newly out person I didn't even think of this being a problem for a gay person. How can a country have gay parades and something so trivial as renting a room be a problem. makes no sense to me. Atleast I have a legal rite to sleep in a hotel room with who ever i want

I think it starts with the parades and rights are slowly won.

There are always bigoted people out there. I just try and avoid them.

Paul and I were at a wedding Fayre at the weekend and one photography company's contact request form only had fields for the bride and groom. We really liked another company that saw we were a gay couple and instantly started telling us about the civil partnerships they'd photographed.



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[fredv3b]

My and my bf have never had any problems with hotels or B&Bs. Although usually when we turn up to a hotel we have booked the receptionist says, "you're booked into a double-room" with a expression on his/her face that says 'please be a gay couple rather than an embarrassing cock-up'.