In house guests question

[Pippi1]

If the host household is all female are they allowed to require that any in house, room guests are female? Discrimination is permitted by local law when it is the home you live in, I guess for safety reasons, but I can't find Air BnB's stance on this. Thanks

[Helen744]

@Pippi1  I believe that is the case in home share situations only... H

[Joelle43]

Hello @Pippi1 

According to the Airbnb link below you are within your rights to declare that you only want women reserving your listing if you are sharing the facilities with them and are yourself female:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1807?_set_bev_on_new_domain=1676359056_ZWQwMThiM2JkYzZi

All the best

Joëlle

[Helen3]

Yes @Pippi1  if you home share and you are female then you can specify female only guests.

Do work this into your listing title and upfront in your description to minimise getting bookings from men.

[John2406]

@Pippi1 - as far as I'm aware, Airbnb was set up to be non-discriminatory (and many other things) right from its beginning, although you might wish to read their current  "Nondiscrimination Policy" (Last updated: January 25th, 2023) - qv Help Centre, Anti-discrimination and accessibility. Community policy; part of which states "The Airbnb community is committed to building a world where people from every background feel welcome and respected, no matter how far they have traveled from home. This commitment rests on two foundational principles that apply both to Airbnb’s hosts and guests: inclusion and respect. Our shared commitment to these principles enables all members of our community to feel welcome on the Airbnb platform no matter who they are, where they come from, how they worship, or whom they love. Airbnb recognizes that some jurisdictions permit, or require, distinctions among individuals based on factors such as national origin, gender, marital status or sexual orientation, and it does not require hosts to violate local laws or take action  that may subject them to legal liability. Airbnb will provide additional guidance and adjust this nondiscrimination policy to reflect such permissions and requirements in the jurisdictions where they exist."

I think that if one takes the last sentence of that extract, and contacts Airbnb, it may well be that if what you asked about is actually happening, and if NZ's own laws are anti- or non- discriminatory, then maybe Airbnb will handle such a matter direct with the Hosts. 

From your question I'm not too certain whether you have been a Guest within the Hosted property, or whether you might be the, or one of the Host(s), but either way I would suggest that rather than deal with the issue yourself, it should be handled by those who would be best able to clarify Airbnb's policy (ie Airbnb themselves).

Hope the above might help clarify the position.

P.S. please give my love to Auckland, but more especially to New Zealand (I was last there in 1992, but could so easily have settled down there - forever!)

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John2406 As others have said. Home share hosts are allowed to only allow same gender guests if they wish. 

[John2406]

Thanks for that, even though it would appear to go against Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy!

I understand the feeling that some might have for someone of the opposite sex being in the home of others who are of one sex (not  their own), but equally not everyone feels that way.

Personally I have no problems with anyone, irrespective of colour, sex, gender, health situation, and/or any other "differences", and I would never object to any Guests who were different on any way to myself (God knows, I have and have had many changes in my life to accept that we're all different in so many ways!) 

There's also - I believe (but may well be wrong) - the situation that whilst in one's own home one can have whatever rules one wants, when running a business (and although I've been to NZ years ago, I don't know whether their Laws have changed in any way, although ours in the UK have) one has to comply with whatever's in place, so as I suggested, it would be best to check with Airbnb as to whether what is being mooted is in accordance with Airbnb's Policy, to which I would also  double-check with the Law of the Country in which one has a business as to whether one can - or cannot - exclude someone/anyone on such grounds.

I do appreciate your comments though, as I also appreciate that in a private household, one can moreorless have their own rules. It's the "Business" aspect that I'd been considering.

[Sandra856 · Accepted solution]

 

@John2406 

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/2867?_set_bev_on_new_domain=1677530957_N2ZkYmJkZDUwMTQ3

This is the updated

2023 edition. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John2406 I don't think sharing your home usually counts as a business. I don't believe any country in the World would force a homeowner to take someone of the opposite gender into their home if you share bathrooms etc.

[Helen3]

Ok have just checked your listing and it's a whole listing @Pippi1 so the answer is no.

it's not relevant that you live in an all female household when you don't share accommodation 

[Pippi1]

Hi Helen - it is not for that listing (totally understand the non discrimination rules for current listing and that it is important). This is a question relating to hosting people within a host's house (not currently listed) and looking at the options to ensure safety versus non discrimination.