A Honolulu B&B wants to spread the aloha — as long as it's of the heterosexual sort.
Two Long Beach women, Taeko Bufford and Diane Cervelli, are suing Aloha Bed & Breakfast for denying them a room because they are gay.
The incident happened in 2007 when 42-year-old Cervelli called the business to book a room. When she requested one bed, the owner, Phyllis Young, asked if they were lesbians. Cervelli replied that they were, and Young said she was uncomfortable having lesbians in her house because of her religious views, the lawsuit states.
]
“In my past experiences in Hawaii, people have been so friendly,” Cervelli told the AP. “It was just hurtful. It made me feel we weren't good enough.”
In an investigation, Young explained to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission that homosexuality is “detestable” and “defiles our land.” The commission confirmed that, uh, yeah, there's “reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discriminatory practices have been committed” and notified Bufford and Cervelli of their right to sue. Hawaii is one of 21 states with public accommodation laws that prohibit sexual orientation discrimination, so the couple has a case.
Gay couples, don't worry — the discrimination is not limited to homosexuality. Young also has a problem with unmarried heterosexual couples. Aloha, indeed.
