Does anyone feel sorry for this couple?

Yet thats exactly what you seem to want. Again if the law applies to everyone equally where is the discrimination?

well you seem to think that its not ok to discriminate against someone because they're gay, but you can if they're religious.

Option 3 is the best as it requires no explicit coercion. Many married heterosexual couples (and even possibly religious) would disagree with the B&B couples belief and would refuse to use their service. I certainly boycott a service that discriminates on basis of sexuality, gender, race, religion etc. I believe most people would.
Hence we can vilify certain beliefs without coercion.

Genius, we don't need any laws, we can just tut at those that would once have been criminals and encourge others to tut and hey presto problem solved.

Many homophobes would be delighted to have a B&B where no gays are allowed, it could become a selling point, if not no problem, just don't advertise the fact you don't allow gays, as its now not illegal its unlikely to become widely known so you don't need worry about boycotts, you only have a limited number of beds anyway.

The law in this matter is incredibly illiberal.

3 ways to deal with this B&B couples' discrimination.

1. Threaten to burn their house down so they will let homosexuals use their services. If they refuse their business will longer exist.

2. Use the law to force to let homosexuals use their services. If they refuse to change, their business will no longer exist.

3. Boycott their service until they let homosexuals use their services. If most people do this then, their business won't be able to exist.


Obviously 1 is incredibly unlawful (and rightly so) that it is out of the question. However people fail to realise that 2 is almost as bad.

It is coercion pure and simple. We don't like your beliefs so will are going to criminalise your beliefs. This is incredibly illiberal. The only just cause for coercion is if it is to prevent harm or the violation of others rights.

While the gay couple may have been upset, they weren't really harmed also no right of theirs was violated.

Option 3 is the best as it requires no explicit coercion. Many married heterosexual couples (and even possibly religious) would disagree with the B&B couples belief and would refuse to use their service. I certainly boycott a service that discriminates on basis of sexuality, gender, race, religion etc. I believe most people would.
Hence we can vilify certain beliefs without coercion.

I'd say the best option is in fact:

4. Don't actually force them to serve you, but be a nuisance until they do.

For example, take the Southern US Civil Rights sit-ins, where black activists would simply walk in and sit down in the 'white' reserved areas.

Admittedly, things like that can take a lot of organisation. For something less planned in a situation like this, do something like push the beds together, have sex and sleep in the same bed anyway, and leave the room in a state that makes it clear that you did so.

Being a nuisance is usually coercion so no it wouldn't the best option is this case.
However if the policy was state sanctioned then it would be a much more attractive option.

In what sense is nuisance coercion? Unless you're using a very broad definition of 'coercion'?