No Gays Allowed to Rent Here! This From a Black Realtor

Boys ‘n’ girls, no, this is not from the Excited States of Amerika. This is from Canada. More specifically, from so-called Liberal Toronto.   Surprised? I’m not. Let’s keep in mind that Toronto did overwhelming elect a mayor, who, among other things, is homophobic. I know, the place in question is in Brampton, but still…  A realtor turned down a gay couple seeking a basement apartment for rent.

In a case that pits religious freedoms against gay rights, a rental consultant freely admits she denied a Brampton apartment to a same-sex couple because the landlord is opposed to their sexual orientation.

Juliet Stewart says her clients, a Seventh-day Adventist husband and wife, told her in no uncertain terms during a screening interview that they would never allow a gay couple to rent their basement apartment.

The couple in question will be taking their case to the Human Rights Commission, as they should.

“I’m going to take this (complaint) as far as I can to ensure this doesn’t happen to someone else. Nobody should have to go through this,’’ says Thiago Derucio, 26, a local singer who was turned away with his partner, Chris Prentice, 21.

“I was pissed and hurt and couldn’t believe that (it) happened. We’re in 2012,’’ Derucio said in an interview.

Yes Thiago, we are in 2012–a time when it’s now mainstream to be a bigotted redneck.  I keep saying Canada is now as wingnutty, if not, more so, than the Excited States these days.  Again, look who’s the mayor of Toronto these days.  I do wish you and your partner, Chris the best in your fight and to not give up. It seems that people don’t get it today.

Juliet Stewart, the heifer of a realtor  (yes, that cow smell is from Juliet STewart and her homophobic friends’ office). She claims that she would never discriminate herself, to which I say, Bull shit!  If that were true, she wouldn’t take such bigotted rednecks as clients with a clear conscience. Her comments to Thiago Derucio say that she is, indeed, a homophobic with all the redneck arrogance she can muster.

“I said, ‘I don’t mean to cut you off, but you do realize that’s against the law.’ She said, ‘I don’t care, and don’t go all gay rights on me,’” and hung up the phone, he alleges.

Well, that says it all, don’t it?

The article in the Star also says that her business is not licensed. Well, quelle surprise. May she never be issued a realtor’s license neither. Although, knowing the direction Canada is headed in these days, don’t be surprised that the cow not only does get a license, but also the key to the city to protect those poor homophobic fools who think that tolerance should “go both ways”. So, we should tolerate the intolerant and intolerable?  Ain’t that special?

The poor widdle Ms Juliet Stewart is now whining that she’s getting death threats.  Is that even true? Or a ploy to gain public sympathy? Me thinks the latter.

Oh, and boys ‘n’ girls, a double whammy. She’s black.  Not that race should have to do with anything here, but as a black person, she, of all people should know what it’s like to be discriminated against.  There are plenty of landlords out there who refuse to rent to black people and do all to get away with it too.

 “My clients are exempt [from the OHRC] because they are Seventh-day Adventists. They’re religious. That’s their religion. They told me that they don’t want [gay people]. Look, I’m a person of colour. I know what it’s like to be discriminated against. You can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to do. There’s jobs I didn’t get. I wish someone had of told me, ‘Don’t show up because you’re black.’ I wish they would do that because I wouldn’t waste my time. That’s a part of life.”

And

Stewart says it’s not her place to “push [homosexuality] down their throats” and she doesn’t want to risk losing the client.

“If I said anything, the client would get angry,” she says. “I don’t want to lose my contract with them for going against what they said they didn’t want.”

Exempt from Ontario Human Rights Commission. We’ll see about that.  Apparently, these rednecks are breaking the law. The laws for landlords apply to all.

“The code applies to all rental housing arrangements,” she [Barbara Hall, chief commissioner of the OHRC] says. “Housing providers offering rental opportunities to the public need to do so in a non-discriminatory way.”

Ms Stewart, you, proclaiming to be simply the messenger just don’t cut it according to Barbara Hall:

Hall says the complaint could be directed at both the landlord and Rental Diva. “An agent can’t rely on the fact that they’ve been told to breach the code. That doesn’t let them off the hook. They’re liable, as is the landlord.”

Take that!

There is a solution for those religious wingnutz:  Don’t get into the landlord business.

As for not wanting to “push homosexuality down their throats”, what kind of lame justification is that?  As a realtor, it is her duty to inform her clients of the law and when they’re breaking it and discriminating against potential tenants due to race and sexual orientation is, indeed, against the law.

She is taking on the “That’s part of life” and “That’s the way things are” kinda crap.  Gee, if Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King  had that same attitude as  Ms. Juliet Stewart, there would’ve been no Civil Rights Movement. She wouldn’t have the opportunities she has today. She definitely would never have been able to succeed as a realtor  Hell, let’s go back further than that. Black people would still be slaves if all had Ms. Juliet Stewart’s complacent arrogant attitude.  If all had her complacent attitude, homosexuality would still be criminalized.  There wouldn’t have been a women’s movement.  Much work obviously needs to be done regarding racial equality, as well as equality for women and LGBT communities, all of which requires courageous people to take a stand.  But it’s clear which side Ms. Stewart is taking here.  Life must be grand for you, Ms Stewart.

Would she take racist landlords on as clients? Would she adhere to their wishes as she had to those kooky Seventh Day Adventists?  Hell yeah! I’m sure she would, given her attitude.

As for that kooky religious extemist couple landlords, naturally they have not been identified. They should. If they think their views are this correct, they should not be afraid and come out in defense of their realtor of Diva Rental (yeah, that is the name of her unlicensed company).

And Simon, no, You don’t “water it or feed it once a day”. You starve it and dehydrate it.
Oh and go over to Simon’s to check out some of the comments to that Toronto Star article as well as comments he receives. This is Harperland boys ‘n’ girls and Toronto is Ford Nation.   Land of where regression and bigotry appear to be the norm.  It’s up to progressives and lucid people to do something about it.  Getting rid of clowns like Mayor Boss Hogg and Stevie Spiteful would be a great start.

I wish the best to Thiago Derucio and his partner, Chris Prentice.  They, unlike Ms. Juliet Stewart, is doing their part in correcting a wrong instead of taking the “That’s the way things are” bull shit.