Woman Sues Key West’s Island House Resort for Discrimination
Island House Key West hotel and resort with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, demanding that the resort reverse its allegedly discriminatory policy, and also asking for reimbursement for attorney and legal fees.But the resort’s owners and attorneys claim they do rent separate apartment units to women.
They didn’t allow Chaudhry to stay there because she was disruptive during an annual fundraiser that welcomes women to the resort for a cocktail party around the resort’s pool area, reports Keys Weekly.According to Chaudhry’s complaint, she attended an all-welcome Pride kickoff party and fundraiser at the Island House in June 2022.As part of the event, women and non-guests are welcome from 5 to 9 p.m., when clothing is required around the pool.
She had previously attended the party in 2021.That year, when the event ended, she — along with other females and non-guests — was asked to leave the resort.
At the time, she questioned owner Bobi Lore about why she couldn’t stay later, and why the resort didn’t allow women.The following year, Chaudhry placed flyers on tables around the pool area, citing state anti-discrimination laws and questioning the resort’s all-male policy.When she was invited into a private office area to discuss her concerns with Lore and resort managers, Chaudhry told them she intended to sue them for discriminating against women, according to testimony from Lore and manager Jeffrey Smead, both of whom testified at a hearing last week. “I felt affronted by the fact that here was someone who was invited to the space and enjoying it, but while passing out literature to the detriment of our property and aggravating our guests,” Lore testified before administrative law Judge John Van Laningham.
