Posters banned for bias against gays

The Independent, London ^ | Sep 29, 03 | Paul Waugh

[churchillbuff]

LONDON -- Ken Livingstone has rejected Tube adverts for a holiday firm which bans gays and lesbians from its Caribbean resorts. After complaints from gay groups and others, the Mayor of London has barred Sandals from advertising its "couples" hotels.

The firm ran a four-week, £200,000 campaign this year on the Tube, offering holidays for its "romantic, mixed-sex couples only" resorts. Sandals, whose slogan "Love is all you need" is seen as bitterly ironic by gays, has already been criticised for its discriminatory policy. Complaints about its stance led Barclaycard to drop the firm from its promotions.

"London Underground agreed it is not acceptable for a company with such an openly discriminatory policy to advertise on public transport in this city," Mr Livingstone said.

Barbara Roche, the former equalities minister, said: "It is clear, overt discrimination and yet the law can do nothing. If they had a policy banning black couples or Jewish couples, they wouldn't be allowed to get away with it. Why should they with gay couples?"

In Progress magazine, she said the case highlighted the urgent need for a new law banning homophobic discrimination. Regulations due this year will ban only discrimination in the workplace. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, said: "It remains a disgrace that a company such as Sandals can refuse to provide a service to lesbians and gay men. All minority groups, indeed all citizens, are entitled to equal treatment."

In a statement, Sandals said: "Sandals and Beaches resorts operates 19 resorts in the Caribbean. Twelve are Sandals properties offering all-inclusive 'adult only' holidays to heterosexual couples. The Sandals concept was introduced to cater for a niche market, predominantly honeymoons and weddings. The company also operates seven Beaches Resorts, which cater for singles, families, groups, everyone

[wku man]

"It is clear, overt discrimination and yet the law can do nothing. If they had a policy banning black couples or Jewish couples, they wouldn't be allowed to get away with it. Why should they with gay couples?"

Because black and Jewish couples aren't, as a group, disgusting, immoral, degenerative, disease spreading perverts like you and your ilk, homo. I wouldn't want you at my resort, either.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Porterville]

I usually have as my tag line "I spell stuff wrong sometimes, get over yourself, you are not that great"... this applys to you, get over yourself, you probably have worse problems then my spelling... loser.

[DLfromthedesert]

I think you meant to say, "looser" :)

[Porterville]

Exactly my point, who cares how one spells once in a while?? We make mistakes, I venture that if I look into anybody's financial management skills I will find interest rates at 12+ percent for credit cards or even auto loans or who didn't refi their house... who cares, really, we all lack skills or are careless at times, particularly on a forum where we can vent.

[WillowyDame]

yeah phoney halle's hubby was treated there for sex addiction.

[WillowyDame]

don't waste your breath.

write the way you write, babe.

truly intelligent people will figure out what you are saying with typos and wrong spellings and all!

[Labyrinthos]

Sounds like Sandals also discriminates against threesomes.

Not when I was there. :-)

[RightOnline]

"If they had a policy banning black couples or Jewish couples, they wouldn't be allowed to get away with it. Why should they with gay couples?"

Ohfercryinoutloud..................give me just one, big, honkin' break here.

[Polycarp]

Posters banned for bias against gays

Honest to God, I thought this was a thread about Free Republic posters being banned for posting threads about the facts regarding homosexual activity.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Agreed. It should definately be treated.