Comments on: Homophobia: An experience at Hotel Accord, Chennai

By: don't wish to use my name

don't wish to use my name — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:38:55 +0000

In my city, I was also humiliated similarly by the management of the hotel. Apparently the Hotel’s main OWNER was on a visit that day, and I went there with my bf..
Though we actually tried to book a room there. Who knows why we did that in India.
It is a serious luck that nobody called the police or media or our parents.
We are a heterosexual couple by the way. In the land of India, anything/anybody that is not given express permission by patriarchal society(marriage) is insulted and humiliated.
Another incident I know of is a female teacher in my school had a love marriage. There were loads of people who said she should be sacked. She would probably have been sacked if it had been a private school. And 100% a gay guy would be sacked in such a case. 🙁
I remember a professor from Jamia milia university I think was sacked for being gay. :'( India makes me sad. I don’t like being here.

By: RAFI AHMED

RAFI AHMED — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 06:56:10 +0000

Dear srivath, It’s an atrocious act on the part of a star category hotel to single-out gay community friends under some pretext or the other. I am at a loss to understand why even well educated are unaware of the rights of LGBT community. A pitiable situation for gay like us.

By: Suryatapa Mukherjee

Suryatapa Mukherjee — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:20:47 +0000

That’s awful. The prime issue is that they do not understand that gay men are MEN as well. They consider gay people belong to a third sex outside male and female sexes. It’s funny how stupid that is. They don’t have any clue as to what is sex, gender and sexual orientation; and how they are different. It’s always the ignorant shunning the unknown, and the ignorant stooping to low levels of abuse. So, they don’t deserve your time or the peace of your mind. They can never live an enlightened life anyway with that underdeveloped an intellect.
Secondly, yes, you have done something significant by raising your voice here. You have protested. Congratulations, you have done your part. 🙂

By: jai desai

jai desai — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:22:01 +0000

i wrote about the incident to the hotel management and asked them how they have addressed the issue/ what actions have been taken so that there are no further incidences.
first they denied , then they asked where i learnt of the issue, which i told them of orinam, then they have stopped correspondence.
they are still in denial.
shame!

By: Srini G

Srini G — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:59:12 +0000

In reply to Shri.

Hey Srivath

I am sorry to Hear about your experience in this hotel in Chennai I have spent all my career in the hotel Industry mainly top branded hotels such as Hilton Hyatt and Marriott, as a rule of thumb no one has the right or power to deny access to a Guest unless they are intoxicated, abusive towards bar staff or management. In this regards you should have taken it to the General manager of the hotel the Manager on duty its the staff’s responsibility to provide service to any patrons that walks into the establishment than discriminating against their sexual preference unfortunately India has a long way to go.

Hope everyone will stand up and fight for their freedom of rights.

By: Neha M.

Neha M. — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:14:45 +0000

First of all, I am sorry you had to go through that. Those guys were just plain brain-less homophobic haters, I mean what category of dumb are they to not know the difference between a gay person and a transgender! Not, that it would be right to do that to anyone. :/
Oh, I feel like punching that guy in the face!!

Second, 377 might have been revoked but still, the LGBT community should have the right to stand proud and have laws dignifying them! It saddens me that I personally don’t know even one gay/lesbian person because people are just that scared to come out of the closet! You crossed that hurdle, so you can overcome anything!
I just want you to know, we(me, my frnds n every person with some grey cells b/w d ears!) are here for you! <3

By: Srivath

Srivath — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 07:10:42 +0000

In reply to vasu devan.

Vasudevan

i made it clear in my post that we have visited the bar many times before.
I wouldn’t be writing so much if that day was one among the many. I m not sure whatever u mean by friendly. I dint see friendliness the way they treated us neither was anything close to decent the way they handled the situation. I m not sure if you would feel friendly if subjected to a similar treatment

To me even if its an isolated incident, the management must take responsibilities to the action. The security even made a statement saying its the management’s decision to keep gay men away.

That day we stood up against the way one of us was treated. If we just let go of something like tht, we just stand a silent spectator of injustice to a fellow human.

By: Shri

Shri — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:32:07 +0000

In reply to vasu devan.

Vasudevan: This could be an isolated incident, but certainly a serious one. Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender presentation is absolutely unacceptable and condemnable. It is very disappointing that none of the “friendly people” from the hotel you mentioned, intervened when the incident happened.

The hotel management can’t escape from their responsibility by saying their security service is outsourced or it is the employee’s fault and not theirs. They are accountable for providing a safe and welcoming space for all patrons. Also, when the activists approached the hotel management in a peaceful manner, they agreed to issue a written apology in few days, but they didn’t. To me that is cheating and lying and shows their escapist attitude. So the matter is certainly not over until the hotel issues a written apology and ensures LGBT folks are welcome there.

By: vasu devan

vasu devan — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:11:56 +0000

I have read the article in the newspaper abou the incident happend in Zodiac. I’m very regular to this place and was present that day also have been many times toto that bar and they are basically very friendly people and this might be one of incident. Moreover the people involved have left the organization and the matter should be over now

By: lazis

lazis — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:31:05 +0000

man thisis really outrageous… im so sad to hear such things….

y there is respect for us in thisworld…..

we are humans too…….