Would traveling hosts hesitate or refuse to stay at an Airbnb in a small town in the heartland of America?

Jim1373
Level 2
Denver, CO

Would traveling hosts hesitate or refuse to stay at an Airbnb in a small town in the heartland of America?

With the current state of American politics (left/right, rural/urban, red/blue, rich/poor, etc.), I'm seeking some very open and honest discussions asking whether guests (including traveling hosts) would hesitate or purposefully refuse to stay at an Airbnb in a small town for fear of staying with a potentially unfriendly, even hostile, host. Honestly preferred, please.

 

Let's assume that an individual or family elects to drive from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, taking in a few days to enjoy the scenery by traveling on two-lane roads through smaller cities and towns. Let's further assume that the individual is BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ and/or politically progressive. Would this individual or family hesitate in ANY way to stay in a small town? If so, why? (I can guess, but I'd prefer not to.)

 

This question also applies to a very conservative individual or family that would hesitate or refuse to stay with a host that may be BIPOC, LGBTQ+ or politically progressive.

 

Last year I ran across placeism, defined as "discriminatory practices against a locality or geographic location." I suggest extending this definition as "discriminatory practices against any individual or group living in or coming from a locality or geographic location." There are certainly dozens of other discriminatory practices of more importance than placeism, but it may be simply unaddressed currently.

 

Airbnb has been leading the charge against racism by hosts who may not book a room to someone of another color, orientation or same-sex relationship. I'm curious whether there may be guests who may choose to stay in a chain motel or large city instead of staying at an Airbnb in a small town or rural area.

 

Thanks in advance for your honest replies.

28 Replies 28

@Jim1373 That is the interesting part of humanity, the why they think the way they do. That I do give much thought and at this stage in life, I can even detect some understandable patterns. 

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

@Fred13 Just to check I'm understanding you correctly. You wouldn't engage in a political dialogue because you appreciate in advance that you'd fail to change anyone's mind? Is thatyour gist? If so its a very diplomatic one. I appreciate that nugget (again if I've understood you correctly - but do fill me in if that's not it!!) .  Thanks

Aye @Mary996, it took me forever to learn that lesson, hard to change people's mind because  their life experience has been different than mine. No wonder we think so differently.  So today I put emphasis in what we have in common and thus get to enjoy everyone's company, especially if they have a good sense of humor. 🙂

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

                     Hey Fred

@Fred13I love a really good laugh but at the end of the day for me I put more emphasis on  trying to understand others, where there's the possibility of that  (sometimes I have to accept its a non-starter for whatever reason), but I'm a very sympathetic person and generally find myself intrigued by others, and, that that in itself can overcome many barriers. So I'm probably the opposite to you !!  Great topic by the way. Thanks for raising. Are you enjoying the discussion so far? You are giving me some insights to life over the pond. I hadn't really thought about possible no-go areas on the basis of Political affliation. Its concerning. But people such as you Fred are making a difference. Thank you!

 

Thanks @Fred13 for explaining this clearly. Here is the USofA, media outlets sometimes feature stories along the lines of "we have more that unites us than divides us." In my opinion, these short phrases, much like bumper stickers, only scratch the proverbial surface of our human condition. Each of us, as hosts, have the opportunity to engage, but not enrage. Thanks @Mary996 for your reflections on this matter!

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

Thank you Jim. Great pleasure to participate here!

@Jim1373 "refuse to stay at an Airbnb in a small town for fear of staying with a potentially unfriendly, even hostile, host."  The same could be said about an Airbnb in a big city, east cost, west coast, deep south, etc.  Of course this attitude is called prejudice or bigotry.

No doubt there are some people who make judgements or assumptions about others based on where they live.   I suspect the number of people is pretty low but it does exist.  Hopefully in today's world with so many people traveling and living in different places throughout their lives, they can judge others as individuals and not as groups. 

In any case, not sure it would impact the choice of an airbnb vs any other accommodation.

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Jim1373  It's amazing that you posted this because I was just discussing with my daughter the idea of adding a sign to my listing photos saying "All Are Welcome Here."  I haven't had a single issue with the places I host in rural Maine but I would nevertheless like to underscore this sentiment.  

 

I would love to take a trip such as you describe and would not hesitate to stay in a small town Airbnb.  But now that you've brought it up, I would probably do a little research on the area, supposing that there are small pockets of intolerance everywhere.  However, I wouldn't worry so much about the middle of the country, because I've found that Midwesterners have a tradition of tolerating others even when they don't agree with them.  Possibly an outcome of pioneer days, when your life could depend on your only neighbor whether you agreed with one another or not.

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

Fantastic sentiment. I lived next door to someone who pulled a gun on our local Councillor...!! He was a colourful character .... to say the least.... but I think perhaps because he appreciated that I wanted to understand his concerns we got along.

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

This is a very interesting discussion. My family is more in the conservative side, not very religious and pro choice. I just randomly picked these thee starting points. . We would definitely have no issues staying with a host who is LGBTQ+, prolife or a progressive democratic. However, I would have an issue if this host has universal healthcare posters all around, pro life pamphlets by bedside and makes judgmental  statements about character of anyone right leaning. Political yard signs are fine and religious displays are ok. 

@Inna22 I'm going to go out on a limb a bit here, so if doesn't work, feel free to call an arborist to prune some branches! 😂 Like you, I would have an issue with hosts leaving such material prominently displayed inside a property. For hosts like these, who may exist, this seems a bit like proselytizing. In this case, a host's political passions would be so deeply held as to be quasi-religious. I could imagine guests creating a fairly negative review of the host. Again if such a host exists.

On a somewhat related topic, we provide a Gideon's Bible in the nightstand of some of our properties, much like many motels and hotels. My son stayed at an Airbnb near Zion National Park - the host gave them a Book of Mormon to take with them. This isn't an unexpected practice by those in the Mormon faith.

@Jim1373  Guests also have to be aware of the culture if they are travelling to a foreign country they aren't familiar with. For instance, anyone booking a home share listing in Mexico with a Mexican host, should not be surprised or offended to find depictions of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the walls. You'd be hard pressed to find many Mexican households without this.

This is true of home share listings anywhere, really. A host should certainly not be trying to convert their guests or instigate religious or political disussions, or leave piles of Awake magazines in the guest room, but a host shouldn't have remove the things they ordinarily live with in their homes simply because they have a home share listing and some guest might take offense..

Dimitar27
Level 10
Sofia, Bulgaria

Any place of accommodation must be a "free territory".

Free of any kind of ideology.
As a guest, being on such a territory, is an opportunity, not a limitation.
As a host...sometimes it will not be so easy to keep your territory independent. But you have to.

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

    I view society as a play where the 'actors' (humans) are putting on a show in a man-made platform of their own creation. No wonder I do not get too upset nowadays how others think; it is a play, a different curtain will change the backdrop soon enough.

   Come to an island where the sea is all around you and is omnipresent, where the flaming Liberal to the ardent Righty are removed from their usual 'stage' and separated from a constant technological bombardment and they will inevitably experience first-hand a transformation within a matter of days. Such separations used to be called 'retreats' in religious and even political ones throughout history.  They have become almost extinct because is such a crowded world.

   Nowadays I engage with my guests (post-Covid) only on a philosophical human basis; and also ask them not to write about every-day minutiae or create another travel log in their reviews, but write about what they gained from the 'experience'.  The last guest (Eric) wrote: "I don't think I have ever felt such sadness leaving an Airbnb. My girlfriend and I will miss it that much". How cool.