Woman Brings Discrimination Claim against Florida Gay Men's Resort

A woman who says she was denied a room at a Florida gay men's resort has lodged a discrimination complaint, but the clothing-optional resort says female guests are welcome.

Keys Weekly reported that the complaint was brought against Island House Key West resort by Amina Chaudhry. The case is being heard by the Florida Commission on Human Relations.

"The complaint states that Chaudhry seeks no monetary damages, but rather wants to reverse the resort's supposedly discriminatory policy, as well as be reimbursed for any court costs and legal fees," the article detailed.

"The resort's owners and attorneys claim they do rent separate apartment units to women," the account said, "but they don't allow that specific woman to stay there because she was disruptive and combative during an annual fundraising event that welcomes women at the resort for a cocktail party around the pool."

The news report said that Chaudhry had attended an event at the start of Pride at the resort in 2021 and again in 2022. In 2021, Chaudhry claims, she tried to book a room at the resort as the party was winding down. At that point, accounts diverge: Chaudhry claims she was denied a room because she's a woman; the resort maintains that all its accommodations had been booked due to Pride.

In 2022, Chaudhry returned to the Pride event, but brought leaflets decrying the discrimination she had allegedly faced. The leaflets, local news outlet WLRN said, were "printed with legal definitions of discrimination at 'places of public accommodation.'"

"The flier's headline is, 'Want gender equity at Key West Pride?'" the WLRN article added.

"She was distributing fliers uninvited, engaging people in a diatribe about her view on the Island House," attorney Wayne LaRue Smith, who represents the resort, told WLRN. The management had her removed by uniformed police who were working the event as paid security.

Smith denied that the resort has any sort of discriminatory policy in place against female guests.

"For 20 years, there's an ongoing record of women staying on the premises," the attorney said – though he acknowledged, "It absolutely targets its advertising to men."

But, he added, "We don't have a 'gaydar' detector at the door."

Chaudhry, who represented herself at the hearing, claimed she had been told otherwise, and in no uncertain terms. "How do we apply for membership, how do we purchase a guest pass?" Chaudhry recounted asking the desk staff. "The answers to all were, women cannot do those."

Reporting on the content of the resort's website, WLRN detailed that, "Under the subhead of 'All Male,' is the line, 'Gay, straight, FTM, bisexual, married, single, coupled, in an open relationship or totally monogamous, all men are welcome here.'"

"There are some male-only areas, such as the locker room or showers, but that is because it's a clothing optional resort, and guests and staff have a right to privacy, said Smith," WLRN added.

The hearing included testimony that said "Female guests are not admitted to the main, clothing-optional facility," Keys Weekly reported. "Island House has agreements with Alexander's Guest House across the street, which allows female guests from the Island House access to its pool and amenities.

"The Island House also has an agreement with Key West Fitness on Caroline Street for their rare female guests."

"You can go to Island House but you're not going to be in the shower taking a shower with men," Smith told WLRN.

"In no way do I want this to be an attack on gay men," Chaudhry told Keys Weekly. "I fully support them having safe spaces that are welcoming. I don't want to go to outer space either, but if someone suddenly said no women were allowed in space, I'd be first to join the protest."