Airbnb New rule
I have hosted over 2000 guest and have over 800 enthusiastic reviews and I have never declined a request based on someone’s look but I have always requested guests (specially those new to Airbnb) to add a picture to their profile before accepting the request. This is because I want to see who I let into my own home.
The Oxford Dictionary states:
Discrimination =
1. The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
2. Recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and one other.
It may well be another case when you rent a whole flat but, in my view, the whole point here is that when it comes to your own home, where you live with your family, it is a basic human right to be able to choose who we let in , i.e. to “discriminate” .
It is not a crime. It is not unfair.
We choose our friends, correct? That is a form of “discrimination”.
We choose our spouses correct? That is a form of “discrimination”.
We choose who we let into our own homes. It is one of our fundamental rights.
It is not my case but if I do not feel comfortable having person into my own home who has a sexual orientation different from mine , I should and I do have all the rights not to have them as guests in my own home.
If a single lady is not feeling comfortable with hosting men in her own home, she should be allowed to choose, to “discriminate” this without receiving a subliminal message that maybe she is being unjust or prejudicial. It is within her human rights to decide who she lets into her own home.
If someone does not like to have men with a beard around because they awaken sad memories of the deceased grandad, one should be free to exercise the right to choose (discriminate) not to let them into their own homes.
How do you do this without seeing a picture ?
One may decline a request not as an unfair and prejudicial treatment but as a measure of self respect.
If my ex had red long hair. I may be painfully reminded of her/him if I host a lady/man with long red hair.
I actually believe that it is a fundamental human right violation to deny the choice to “discriminate “ who we let into our own homes. It could be argued that it goes against article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights which states:
“1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right “
According the laws of most western Countries, not even the police, with the exception of emergency situations, can enter your home without your permission unless with a Court order.
Does Airbnb have more powers than a Court ?
There have been changes imposed on us that are already unfair and heavy to swallow. Take the 48 hrs penalty free cancellation policy.
If the guest can cancel penalty free why should the host not have the same right? Is it me or is this a one way street? How fair is it?
It must be said that we are not forced to be hosts and we can leave whenever we want to. The truth is that Airbnb is a private business and therefore it is not democratic. We have the choice between: take it all as it is, or, leave it all as it is. Unfortunately, because out there there is no real alternative, Airbnb has the upper hand. It is their business, they decide. Full stop.
There is a possibility, a small possibility, that if enough of us write and complain they might actually listen.
Am I being naïve?
