Is my host being discriminatory? My host just asked if I traveled from the Hubei Province?

[Ethan284]

My host just asked if I traveled from the Hubei Province? What is Airbnb stance on letting hosts discriminate with the current circumstances. I have an asian last name, but I'm from the U.S. travelling in the U.S. . My host is in California.

[Emilia42]

In reality, anyone can go into their Airbnb profile settings and change their location. Devious people would do this and it's easy. People who are in fear/worry are on edge. If this host is so concerned they should be asking this question to everyone who inquires/books with them, not just you. 

[Sandra126]

I just had another thought. Quite possibly the host is asking every single guest this, regardless of name etc. We don't see last n ames or photos anyway until a confirmed booking. As your name is @Ethan284 I don't believe they knew ethnicity .

[Ethan284]

This is helpful if they don't have last names or photos till after confirmation then most likely they didnt know.

[Helen3]

Did the host ask you before you booked or did you use IB @Ethan284 

If you used IB then they would have seen your image when they made their request.

[Ethan284]

I booked and before confirmation he asked me a series of questions. So if last names and photos aren't shared until after confirmation then I see no problems.

[Susan17]

Just as well you raised that point, @Sandra126. Otherwise, there might have been yet another host abruptly losing his livelihood, as a result of unproven allegations. 

[Sean433]

@Ethan284 

Ethan, have you traveled to Hubei? It seems the answer is no. So why not just say No and that be the end of it? I was born in Russia and have a Russian last name. If there was a serious illness coming out of there and someone asked me a similar question because of my last name, I would not have been offended because it is a matter of health. Also, it is far more likely for me to have traveled to my home country than for someone who is not of my background so i don't think it is a totally unreasonable question.

That being said, several of my current guests are Asian and come directly from China. I don't ask that question of them. Maybe I should but that is me. The host is not asking you this because they have a intolerance towards Asian people. The host is probably just the paranoid type and they have the right to be, it is their home and their health that they are concerned about.

[Ethan284]

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@Sean433 wrote:

@Ethan284 

So why not just say No and that be the end of it?

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I already have said no. There are multiple powers of authority already handling and filtering out potential coronavirus carriers and I do not believe it is an airbnb hosts right or privilege to discriminate against their guests.

[Sarah977]

@Ethan284  Well, a host does have a right to take precautions against possibly exposing themselves and their families to a dangerous and possibly communicable disease. There are many threads on this forum right now regarding coronavirus and there are many hosts who normally host many Chinese guests from China, so they are obviously not discriminatory towards Chinese, but a lot of people are quite panicked about this right now, sometimes illogically so.

As another poster pointed out, hosts can't see your profile photo or your full name until after a booking is confirmed, so in your case, I would imagine that this host is asking this question of all their guests. If they asked or wanted to cancel an already confirmed reservation, that would be a different story, and yes, likely discriminatory, unless they were asking that question of all confirmed guests.

[Sean433]

@Ethan284 

A lot of people do not trust government officials. Some people take their own preventative measures and that is absolutely their right. You, me, others do not have an intrinsic right to stay in someone else's private home.  It is their house, their health and their choice. Not saying it is the right choice but nonetheless, theirs.

[Ethan284]

You are part of a platform and community where trust is necessary and with a mission statement of inclusion and respect. I may have been discriminated against based on my race.  Hosts agree to Airbnb Nondiscrimination policy when they join the airbnb community. People have the right to their thoughts and feelings even racist ones, that does not mean they should be part of the Airbnb community. Anyways this is sidetracked I'm interested in what airbnb's stance is on this whether this behavior is acceptable. Based on AirBnB policy and that the host does not have access to pictures or my last name till after confirmation then most likely I have not been discriminated agaisnt.

[Piotr48]

@Ethan284  Are you sure you haven't traveled to Hubei?

[Ethan284]

What is your goal with this question? Is there something you wish to contribute to the discussion? I have never been to china.