Florida Gay Nude Resort Can’t Ban Women, Judge Rules
metroweekly.comThe Messenger.While Finkbeiner’s ruling is not binding, the commission must consider her findings before issuing a final decision.Chaudhry told The Messenger she hopes the ruling will ensure other businesses aren’t allowed to discriminate against anyone, and implied her complaint may have broader implications, especially for members of the transgender community, who may experience discrimination in public accommodations.“The implication is if [New Orleans House is] allowed to discriminate against any genders they don’t want coming in there, then any other place of public accommodations can do the same thing,” she said.New Orleans House says it allows anyone to stay at the resort, but restricts access to the “clothing-optional” parts of the facility.Russell Cormican, the attorney for New Orleans House, criticized the judge’s ruling, claiming Finkbeiner “totally sidestepped” what Cormican believes is the most important issue at play: the privacy rights of New Orleans House guests who have deliberately sought out a male-only, clothing-optional facility and wish not to be in a state of undress around non-males.“There’s areas of the hotel that are set aside for men to be nude,” Cormican said. “I mean, it’s like if I showed up at LA Fitness and as a man, I insisted on standing in the women’s dressing room.”Cormican told The Messenger he plans to file an objection to the judge’s order with the Commission on Human Relations.
Chaudhry has also filed a discrimination complaint with the commission against Island House Key West, another all-male, clothing-optional resort less than a mile away from New Orleans House, after she attended a Pride kickoff cocktail party that was opened up to the public, but was told she wouldn’t be able.
