Florida woman sues gay and bi men’s nudist resort for not letting her book a room

A Florida woman is suing a nudist resort for gay and bisexual men because it did not allow women to stay at its clothing-optional facility.

Island House, in Florida’s Key West, advertises itself as an award-winning resort for men.

However, Amina Chaudhry filed a complaint against the resort with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, claiming it’s all-male policy is discriminatory and should be reversed.

As reported by Keys Weekly, Chaudhry had attended the resort’s annual Pride fundraiser in both June 2021 and June 2022.

The event allows non-guests, including women, between 5 and 9pm, when clothing is required around the resort’s pool.

At administrative hearings held on 24 and 25 April, Island House owner Bobbi Lore said he was questioned by Chaudhry after the 2021 event about why she couldn’t stay and why Island House did not have female guests.

It was reported that during the 2022 Pride fundraiser event, Chaudhry placed flyers on tables questioning the resort’s all-male policy and citing Florida’s discrimination laws. At the end of the event, Chaudhry also asked to book a room for the night but was told the facility was full, she stated at the hearing.

Lore, and resort manager Jeffrey Smead, alleged Chaudhry told them that night she intended to sue for discrimination against women.

Lore said he felt “affronted” by Chaudhry “passing out literature to the detriment of our property and aggravating our guests” after having been invited to the event.

“We even actually had the police escort her off the property.”

Smead testified that Chaudhry was not denied a room because she was a woman, but because she had behaved poorly and the resort’s liquor license meant they could refuse service to disruptive people.

It was reported that the resort did have rooms available for women, and had done so since at least 2003, but female guests were not allowed within the main facility.

However, Lore told the hearing the resort has an agreement with a nearby guesthouse for women to use the pool and other amenities there, as well as an agreement with a local gym.

Ultimately, though, female guests are rare.

Keys Weekly reported that a witness for Chaudhry, paraphrased by lawyers for the resort, told the hearing that women who inquired about visiting the resort usually did so “by mistake” and would book somewhere else when they realised it was “a clothing-optional resort that primarily serves gay and bisexual men”.

Chaudhry told the outlet she did not want her lawsuit “to be an attack on gay men”.

“I fully support them having safe spaces that are welcoming. I don’t want to go to outer space either, but if someone suddenly said no women were allowed in space, I’d be first to join the protest.”

The complaint process will continue for another 60-90 days as testimony is considered and the judge drafts a recommended order to the Commission on Human Relations.