[Nitrous_McBread]

I saw this ad tonight on Brighton Gumtree: "We're two single gay girls looking for gay girl or boy mid 20's+ to move into our chilled, tidy and considerate house in August. Professionals only, no students or hetero's!" And this sort of thing gets posted at least once a day.

I just wondered, how acceptable would it be to state "No gays"? How about "No Jews"? Or "No muslims"?

It's reasonable to advertise for someone who shares similar interests to you, but to imply that being gay is an 'interest' is plain daft. I find that stereotypes rarely fit: I enjoy hot man-on-man action myself but would much rather listen to Aphex Twin or go fishing than see a Judy friggin' Garland film or watch some appalling Graham Norton/Andrew Lloyd Webber love-in.

So is it legal to refuse accommodation on the basis of sexuality? Who knows about this, or maybe has direct experience?

[peewee1]

of course its legal,u dafty!if that was not the case,gumtree wouldnt have a 'gay'flatshare listing!
i also stress i want gay persons for my flat,i have done the thing with 'straight'flatmates,and it was a disaster every time!different lifestyles!end of story!
as for sharing with muslims,ect,yes,id be cautious there as well,completley different lifestyles and beliefs!ive got mine,they have theirs,i prefer to keep them seperate!it doesnt mean i dont like them,i just dont want to live with them.

[hugheskevi]

[quote]I just wondered, how acceptable would it be to state "No gays"? How about "No Jews"? Or "No muslims"?[/quote]

I wish some more people would quote such things actually. If a person doesn't want gays living with them, then I very much doubt a gay person would enjoy living with them either. Better for all involved to avoid each other.

We could make nice platitudes and pretend such things didn't matter, but clearly they do to some people. If we just didn't put things on ads, we could waste each others time by going through the motions, going to view, and then deciding that someone else was chosen, but that is really a bit pointless isn't it?

So if a group of Aussies want another Aussie in their Antipodean houseshare, or a gay tenant would prefer a gay tenant, a group of girls want to keep their house that way or a group prefer that everyone is Muslim, so be it. Plenty of choice around.

[Nitrous_McBread]

Oh no: I'm a dafty.

So what were your experiences with straight flatmates which made you so dead set against living with them? Have you really found you can predict whether or not you'll get along with someone on the basis of their sexuality? 'Cos that hasn't been my experience at all. I only wish it were that simple. Then I could place an ad saying "Green-eyed redheads with a 2:1 degree in otter breeding and/or cheese-making only, please".

[peewee1]

im not 'dead against'straight flatmates,its just not my choice,i felt uncomfortable bringing boyfriends back to stay,they probably felt uncomfortable bringing girlfriends back.yes we argued about it,constantly!
so my choice is 'gay'flatmates only,they have to live with me,i have to live with them,not a problem anymore!
no arguments for over 12 months,all is cosy!

[Nitrous_McBread]

Still don't understand. You say "I felt uncomfortable" and "they probably felt uncomfortable", but how, and why? Can you expand on that in any way?

I've lived in a flat with two great mates (both straight) and shagged both men and women there (though not on the same night heh). Are you implying there was an element of homophobia on your straight flatmates' part? Or heterophobia on yours?

[Mr_X]

Well that's the thing isn't it?

It's ok if you are gay and post an ad for accommodation stating that you only want gays, and it's ok if you are mulsim and post an ad for muslims only, then its pretty cool.

But, if you are neither, and post an ad saying No Muslims, No gays.... then you are in big big problems aren't you?

You are either a homophobe or an islamophobic

[QMS]

Maybe it's the way my mind works, but I'd be far more comfortable sharing with a gay guy than a straight guy, purely because the gay guy would do his thing, and I'd do mine, and we'd be mates, but there'd be no risk of either of us fancying any boyfriend, girlfriend or shag-partner the other one brought home.

But if someone is dead-set on only sharing with another gay / straight / muslim / veggie / pagan or whatever, then that is their choice and there's not a lot you can really do about it. Everyone is different.

[peewee1]

judging by the creator of this post's comments,he is just a perv that says he shags just about anything he lives with.
mmmmm,keep my thoughts to myself,just an argumentive idiot,glad im not sharing my home with him!

[acantho]

What about the adds in Polish or similar or the ones saying Aussies or Kiwis only !!!!
Is it therefore OK to discriminate against us Brits in our own country, but as soon as we decide we don't want anyone from another country staying with us (or even in our country) yous all go rushing of to the racelelations broad or something similar claiming xenophobia or racism.

I personally wouldn't want to share with any ginger haired people and think this gene should be expunged from the human race!

[king_tut]

Personaly I wouldn't like to share my living space with homosexuals. But I can see the arguement that the threads creator is coming in with. Wording of the advert is v important. ie "would suit" or "idealy looking for" would make an advert sound much more accecptable & would be much less likely to land the advertiser in trouble

[hugheskevi]

[quote]Wording of the advert is v important. ie "would suit" or "idealy looking for" would make an advert sound much more accecptable & would be much less likely to land the advertiser in trouble[/quote]

Is it possible for any Gumtree advertiser to end up in court over the wording of their ad? I suppose theoretically, but more likely to be in a libel case rather than a discrimination case.

Therefore, I'd encourage honesty and clarity from posters to save everyone's time rather than toned down lies. "idealy looking for" (sic) means desirable but not essential. "Please only respond if you are..." does not mean this.

[Rick]

[Nitrous_McBread]

[Rick]

[Nitrous_McBread]

Okay then.

Maybe you are monumentally attractive. Please post a photo (with your bits out)

[Rick]

[shafuska]

I am a gay landlord and I wouldnt touch straight tenants with a bargepole.

Straight males are filthy and pre-paleolithic. Straight women are snakes.

So I advertise for gay tenants. It's not discrimination, I only relate
to civilised human beings.

[hugheskevi]

[quote]I am a gay landlord and I wouldnt touch straight tenants with a bargepole. [/quote]

Why would you be thinking of touching a straight tenant at all if you are gay? Be it with a bargepole or anything else?

[quote]Straight males are filthy and pre-paleolithic. [/quote]

I'm not aware of any studies that have shown a correlation with where one chooses to put one's bargepole and the propensity to be neat and tidy. And I think the oldest human is around 122 years old, not 2.6 million years old.

[quote]I only relate to civilised human beings.[/quote]

With estimates of the UK homosexual population being between 2% and 7% presumably you are classified as having social problems then, given you cannot relate to at least 93% of the country.

[Nitrous_McBread]

[king_tut]

[Nitrous_McBread]

[weeowen]

[king_tut]

[weeowen]