Rock superstar Elton John is joining actor George Clooney in calling for a worldwide boycott of hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who plans to enforce the death penalty for homosexuality this week.
Brunei-owned hotels include some of the world most luxurious inns, such as the Beverly Hills Hotel in Hollywood and the Dorchester in London.
“Discrimination on the basis of sexuality is plain wrong and has no place in my society,” John said in a statement. “I believe that love is love, and being able to love as we choose is a basic human right. … My husband, David, and I deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.”
Brunei, a Muslim monarchy, has adopted strict Sharia law, which would allow LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) people to be stoned to death.
Clooney called for his hotel boycott last week, pointing out that every time someone stays at one of the nine Brunei-owned hotels, he is “putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery.”
The Dorchester Collection, which operates the hotels, says the chain emphasizes “equality, respect, and integrity … we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
But others say they support Clooney’s call for a boycott, including Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, former Vice President Joe Biden, Republican Senator Ted Cruz and actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
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