Latest news with #noKidsTrend
The Independent
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
I'm gay – I don't want to be surrounded by children on holiday
In a contested year for really bad ideas, this is a howler – or should that be howleur? Because the French have proposed a new law that would mean hotels and restaurants that don't admit children could be prosecuted. Quelle horreur. France 's high commissioner for childhood, Sarah El Haïry, said that the hospitality industry was showing signs of a 'no-kids trend', and that, she said, was ' violence against children'. She particularly took aim at adults like me, who object to being disturbed by other people's kids when on holiday. 'A child shouts, laughs and moves,' she said. 'We're institutionalising the idea that silence is a luxury and the absence of children is a luxury.' Damn right we are – and it's a luxury I won't give up without a fight. Because such a ban on 'adult-only' establishments would be inadvertently homophobic. It's an overlooked and under-discussed topic, and potentially taboo to say, but whoever proposed this ban hasn't faced the microaggressions that gay people like me face daily – from children. They can't help it – they're kids. But kids don't have the same filter that fully socialised adults do. And that lack of filter can spoil my holiday, cherished time I take out away from the microaggressions of the everyday straight world. They're not things like outright hostility or violence; it's the small things that add up to make you feel like you're not welcome. They catapult you back to when you were treated as an outsider, a freak, a 'queer', just for being you. When I'm affectionate in public with a partner, as everyone should be able to be on holiday – and the French, of all people, should get this – children who haven't witnessed much same-sex affection will often stare. They sometimes point, whisper or giggle. This is what I mean by a microaggression – and it's one I can do without. You get tired of being someone else's learning curve. That includes staring kids. I don't blame them for doing it. But so many times, in places where kids are allowed, me and my boyfriend (who am I kidding? Holiday romance…) often end up self-censoring to the point we'll refrain from even holding hands. Recently, I got sick of reigning it in that this year, for the first time, I stayed in a gay-friendly resort in Mexico, the Spartacus Hostel for Men in Puerto Vallarta. It was a revelation. Surrounded only by other gay men, I… exhaled. I was no longer in a minority. We could be as gay as we liked, without fear of upsetting or confusing conservative families with children. It was hugely liberating. Under French plans, such places of freedom would be prosecuted. I would avoid France if it instigated such a ban. And we must raise our voices before an idea like this spreads. It's not just for people like me who want to be gay in peace. My female best friend is happily childless by choice. We both adore adult-only establishments. We live on opposite sides of the world so our quality quiet time together, without the interruption of kids, is important to us. She would resist such a mindless ban, given she gets judged enough for a choice she sees as empowering, when others see it, infuriatingly, as sympathy-inducing. We love our friends' children, but we need spaces where our own behaviour isn't policed. Where we can swear, flirt, drink cocktails, tell sordid stories without having to live up to 'child friendly' behaviour standards. There are just a handful of magical 'men-only' hostels and hotels in the world, catering to gay men like me who want to truly relax without worrying, for once, about upsetting anyone's 'innocent' sensibilities. In addition, there's only a relatively small cohort of adult-only venues worldwide, designed for people who don't hate kids, but simply desire a week or two without them. According to most recent statistics, France is still the world's most visited country. But it risks kissing goodbye to that top spot if it proceeds with this ill-considered and stigmatising ban. Well… mwah!
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Adults-only hotels risk being BANNED in popular European country - as they are a 'threat to society'
Adults-only hotels, campsites and restaurants could be banned in France as part of a planned government crackdown. Sarah El Haïry, France's high commissioner for childhood, has said that the country's 'no kids trend' has caused 'violence against children', reports The Times. The commissioner said that people who complain about children being noisy are spreading the 'idea that children are a nuisance'. She claimed that adults-only venues were dividing society and putting pressure on parents. El Haïry told RTL: 'There is a growing intolerance and we must not allow it to take hold. 'It's not in our culture, it's not in our philosophy, and it's not what we want to see as the norm in our country.' She explained that government lawyers are currently looking at taking legal action against hotels that refuse to allow children. France 24 reports that adults-only venues currently represent around three per cent of the country's travel market. A socialist senator, Laurence Rossignol, is now planning to introduce a bill to make it illegal to ban children from venues. El Haïry is reportedly planning to bring together those in the travel industry to encourage them to take a 'pro-kids' approach. Adults-only venues - and flights - can be a divisive issue among travellers. A mother recently went viral after she slammed Japan Airlines for its controversial booking feature where people can see where babies are seated before picking their own seat. Sophie Kalimeridou, a 'mumfluencer' who specialises in family-friendly travel content, took to Instagram earlier this month to vent her frustration with the airline's policy after flying with her toddler daughter and young son. Sharing a video from her business class seat, she accused Japan Airlines of alienating parents and children in favour of passengers who prefer a quieter journey.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Adult-only hotels and holiday resorts could be banned in European country – as they are a ‘threat to society'
THE French government is planning to crack down on adult-only hotels, campsites and restaurants. The decision comes after some people claimed that there was a growing intolerance towards children in the country, which is also facing a falling birthrate. 4 4 Sarah El Haïry, the high commissioner for childhood, said the "no-kids trend" has caused "violence against children" and poses a threat to society, reports The Times. She also addressed those who complain about noisy children and how they are spreading the "idea that children are a nuisance" and putting pressure on parents to make sure they stay quiet. She added: "A child shouts, laughs and moves … we are institutionalising the idea that silence is a luxury and the absence of children is a luxury." El Haïry also said that government lawyers were currently looking at taking legal action against some hotels that refuse children completely. Many hotels in France advertise that they are adult-only, including Saint-Delis in Honfleur in Normandy, which charges €334-a-night (£280.12). The hotel promises an 'exclusive' and 'peaceful' experience. Some campsites are also adult-only, like Camp Laurent in southwest France. There are fears that France will follow the example of Belgium, where one in 10 restaurants now ban children, according to Paris Match magazine. Laurence Rossignol, a socialist senator, is leading the campaign against adult-only venues and she plans to introduce a private member's bill making it illegal to ban children from hotels, campsites and restaurants. However, some lawyers are saying that there is no need for it to go this far, as banning children from such places is already illegal. The luxury hotel claims to make guests 'feel like they're abroad' with an adults only spa and golf course They argue that the ban falls under a law prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of "origin, gender, family situation or age". El Haïry will now be bringing together tourists and travel industry executives to encourage them to adopt a "pro-kids" approach. Some of those who argue for child-free zones claim they are necessary as children are becoming more unruly following a more 'positive parenting' approach that has grown in popularity over the past decade. Others have disagreed claiming that it is natural for children to be loud and want to run around. 4 Some travellers like having the choice for child-free hotels, with one person commenting on social media: "I only book adult-only and have loads of choice, both budget and luxury. "If only there were adult-only flights too." However, others felt differently, with one person stating: "I've never stayed adults only and can't really see the appeal, for me. "I like children and young people and imagine that adults only places are full of loved up couples and old grouches." Also, one woman visited an off-the-radar paradise island off the French coast – and flights from UK cost just £40 return. Plus, Eurocamp holidays in France cost less than UK breaks this summer – with £5pp a night stays, on-site pools & waterparks. 4
