Feb 23, 2010
Lesbian Couple In West Virginia Denied Apartment By Christian Bigot
Business owners must demand that all their employees be protected before moving a company or expanding into a state that does not include Gays and Lesbians in their housing non discrimination laws.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va – Race, sex, age, disability — it’s common knowledge that if you discriminate based on those things, you could face a tough legal battle no matter where you live in the United States.
But what if you’re gay?
That still depends on where you live. It’s a lesson learned the hard way by one woman who’s speaking out after what she calls a hurtful decision.
“I think it’s discrimination,” Rayetta Darby said.
Darby is gay. She and her partner, Erika Johnson, have been together for two years. They were looking forward to sharing an apartment together when they hit an unexpected roadblock with their potential landlord.
“I said, “Is it the gay thing?” and I got a response that, “Yeah, I guess I have a problem with that,” Darby said.
We talked to the landlord in question, and he adamantly denied that claim. He said the reason he didn’t rent to Darby and Johnson had nothing to do with them being gay. But, while investigating that issue, we learned that West Virginia has no law preventing a landlord from turning down a potential tenant simply because he or she is gay.
In fact, 30 states have no such law, including Ohio and Kentucky.
Contact your members of Congress and demand that Gays and Lesbians be added to the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and end discrimination against our community in housing and public accommodation.
