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Airbnb host slammed over 'weight limit' for guests: 'How is that acceptable?'

A pair of Airbnb hosts in the U.K. are facing backlash after adding a weight limit to their cottage listing.

A pair of Airbnb hosts in the U.K. are facing backlash after adding a weight limit to their cottage listing.

The hosts, Zsu and Marcus, explicitly stated in their listing that anyone who weighed more than 100 kg (200 lbs.) was barred from renting the space since the cottage was made of “very old oak beams.” In their original listing, they also prohibited prospective guests with “eating disorders.”

Credit: Kennedy News and Media
Credit: Kennedy News and Media

The listing has caught the attention of several body acceptance activists, such as Lindsay McGlone. On her Instagram, she shared a photo of the “horrendous listing” and called for it to be removed.

“Please don’t stay at Bobbits Lair Kent. They should be held accountable,” McGlone wrote. “How is the acceptable?”

Speaking to Kennedy News and Media, McGlone explained that she shared the Kent cottage on her Instagram in order to raise awareness about the “appalling” listing and get Airbnb’s attention.

“I shared the listing because the people who wrote it need to be held accountable because it’s extremely damaging and I wanted it removed,” she said. “Specifying a certain weight is fat-phobic as it’s discriminating against people who have a larger body. They’re saying they don’t want fat people in their vicinity and they don’t want to take fat people’s money.”

Though Zsu and Marcus eventually removed the weight restrictions, they doubled down on their comments when Kennedy News and Media reached out for comment.

“Understand the pictures are wide angle. Bigger than average people are NOT ALLOWED TO STAY!” they said.

As soon as AirBnb caught wind of the listing, they took swift action against the hosts.

“Discrimination and bias have no place in our community, and we suspended the listing while we addressed the matter raised,” an AirBnb spokesperson told In The know. “We enforce a strict non-discrimination policy and under our Open Doors initiative, if a guest feels they have been discriminated against, we will provide personalized support to ensure they find a place to stay.”

“We took appropriate action with the host, including suspending the listing while we addressed the matter and educating on our non-discrimination policy. The House Rules have since been updated.”

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The post Airbnb hosts get slammed for ‘fat-phobic’ cottage listing appeared first on In The Know.