Created by Airbnb, short-term rental and listing housing company, and Molecule production company, this June 2015 film titled “Love is Welcome Here” shows a diverse range of LGBTQ couples and families talking about their relationships, families, and the kinds of discrimination they face and have to worry about in their everyday lives, and especially when they travel. Examples include a gay male couple who were afraid to ask for one bed when they had been given two in Hawaii, a transgender queer couple who questions how people in conservative American towns would react if they didn’t pass as a heterosexual couple and if people knew the truth about them, a lesbian couple who talk about being afraid for the limitations and prejudices their young son might face for having two moms, and several of the couples describing the careful planning and research they have to do in order to know which cities and countries they can travel safely and openly through. One woman talks about her and her partner’s upcoming marriage and honeymoon plans, saying, “it’s not like we’re trying to be disrespectful or break any laws, we just want to hold hands and celebrate, just like anybody else.” Two of the interviewees also talk about tolerance, with one saying, “My greater hope would be that beyond just being tolerated by a society, but actually being accepted,” and another says, “You shouldn’t be hoping for tolerance, people should appreciate you for the way that you are.” Near the end, one of the women says, “We deserve life and opportunity and happiness.” The film closes with the statement: “We look forward to a world where all love is welcome,” then the hashtag #HostWithPride, and a rainbow colored airbnb logo with the words “belong anywhere” below it.
discussion
What kinds of people and relationships are shown in this video? How are they presented? Why were these people and kinds of relationships chosen? What messages about love, relationships, and family are being communicated?
What kinds of everyday discrimination and worries are these couples describing in their everyday lives and when they are traveling or planning their travels? How are heterosexual or single people privileged when they travel?
What is Airbnb and how does it work? How is the company marketing itself in this advertisement and through the #HostWithPride campaign? What if housing hosts do not want to #HostWithPride? Can Airbnb assure that LGBTQ travel housing experiences through them will be safe and welcoming?
What did these couples say about the idea of “tolerance?” What is the difference between tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion? How do these ideas manifest in everyday life?
