A judge in Florida has ruled that a nude resort in Key West, typically reserved for gay and bisexual men, must open its doors to women.
The New Orleans House had faced a lawsuit from Amina Chaudhry, who was denied a reservation at the resort in July 2022 due to its policy of only allowing "adult males 18 years of age or over."
Administrative Law Judge Brittany Finkbeiner recommended on June 30 that the Florida Commission on Human Relations find the New Orleans House guilty of "unlawful discrimination," according to Metro Weekly.
This ruling comes after the Commission on Human Relations previously ruled in February that there was "no reasonable cause" to believe the resort had violated Florida's civil rights law.
Chaudhry appealed the decision, leading Judge Finkbeiner to overturn it. The New Orleans House argued that all guests were welcome at the resort but that women were restricted from entering the "clothing optional" areas.
While Finkbeiner's ruling is not binding, the commission must consider her findings before issuing a final decision, as reported by Metro Weekly.
Chaudhry expressed her hope that this ruling would prevent other businesses from discriminating and potentially open doors for transgender individuals.
She stated, "The implication is if [New Orleans House is] allowed to discriminate against any genders they don't want coming in there, then any other place of public accommodations can do the same thing."
Russell Cormican, the attorney for New Orleans House, argued that Judge Finkbeiner had disregarded the resort's privacy rights, as it caters to guests who specifically seek a male-only, clothing-optional environment without women present.
Cormican compared the situation to a man insisting on entering the women's dressing room at a fitness center.
Chaudhry also filed a discrimination complaint against Island House Key West, another resort catering to men seeking a "clothing-optional" space for other men.
She described feeling a pervasive sense that she was in the wrong and going against the natural order of things while living in Key West and going through this process.
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