In December, Andrea Falcetto attended Mississippi Host Club conference as an Airbnb host. There, she learned that between 2017 and 2018, Mississippi Airbnb hosts earned a combined income of $7.2 million dollars while $1 million dollars was earned in taxes which then went to state and local government.
But more than that, 1,800 guests were welcomed to the state of Mississippi by local Airbnb hosts alone.
Andrea experience as an Airbnb host started five years ago. In those five years, she has hosted over 500 people herself from various walks of life, including interns, doctors from Canada, people doing tours of the South, and some visiting from Chicago on spring break.
Andrea’s own first stay at Airbnb was back in 2013 in Memphis when she was visiting from Kentucky. After numerous personal experiences like this, she realized how easy it would be to host her own Airbnb space.
In her move to Louisiana from Kentucky, Andrea had Airbnb in mind and settled on a house with extra bedrooms. She found one and rented out through Airbnb for the two years she lived there. When she moved to Jackson in 2017, she did the same thing and found a three-bedroom house, two of which she currently rents out.
Now, thanks to the constant bookings, she rarely gets a single night in her own home to herself.
But Andrea does not mind sharing her home. She sees it as an investment, putting the income made from renting back into the historic house in Fondren she lives in. Ultimately, the fact she is providing a spot to stay for someone who needs a place to stay, and in turn, she then has the ability to work on some projects for her home. provides a win for everyone involved.
Andrea believes Airbnb is important to Jackson but especially the Fondren area. Right now, though there are hotels being constructed now, there are currently no hotels in Fondren and those who come visit want to experience that local city feel.
The only way for them to do that right now is to stay in an Airbnb unit. Even after those hotels are built however, Airbnb will still be a more economical option for many.
As long as it has that appeal, Airbnb will continue to provide an additional form of income for local hosts in Jackson and bring to the area millions of dollars in tax revenue a year.
When Rachel Sugg first heard about Airbnb doing well in Jackson, she was skeptical.
She, like many others, associated Airbnb with young people and vacation destinations. However, since she and her husband incorporated Airbnb into their real estate business two years ago along with their long-term rentals, her view of who Airbnb serves has changed.
The Sugg’s placed their first short term rental unit on Airbnb in April of 2017. From then on, it had been booked, and kept booked.
Two years, three units and 500 people later, Airbnb has turned out to be more profitable for the Suggs then their numerous long-term rentals. And Rachel’s view of Airbnb’s main consumer is different than before.
The majority of those staying in the Sugg’s locations, Rachel has noticed, have turned out to be working class, blue-color individuals, who are, for the most part, coming to Jackson for work related reasons, or college students and their parents.
Rachel believes that an important draw to Airbnb is not only the price, but the fact that visitors can have a one-on-one experience with their host. With Airbnb, there is always someone local to call who is familiar enough with the area to give an expert recommendation. Having someone so close at hand to act as a personal ambassador to Jackson, changes the whole experience of coming here, into something personal.
Not only does the personal experience Airbnb hosts provide change negative views of Jackson, but it brings people to the city as well. In her experience, Rachel has had guests change their stays from one night in Jackson, to two days, or more after having a great experience that first evening. Or, in some cases, people who have come to the area for an appointment in Madison have stayed in Jackson at one of the Sugg’s three Airbnbs, because they there was no Airbnb available in Madison.
Airbnb travelers generally have a different idea of traveling than others might, even if they are traveling for work. Rachel says they tend to be more laid back. They want to get a real feel for the area, not just the touristy version. They want to experience the culture. They want to get to know where they are, not just travel through, staying one night at a hotel then leaving the next morning.
Rachel has found that the benefits Airbnb provides to the Jackson community are numerous; it draws people in, changes minds about Jackson and Mississippi, incentivizes the upkeep of property, brings money into Jackson and the surrounding area, and not only exposes visitors to Jackson but exposes Jackson residents and their neighbors to completely new people.
It is an experience. And, according to Rachel, it’s good for Jackson.
Men have recently started competing against women in sports, and winning. Is that fair?
If the Equality Act becomes law, it will become much more common. This bill, which is backed by nearly 300 members of Congress, will assuredly pass the House this year and be a top priority issue for any future Democratic Senate or White House.
Under the proposed legislation, all federally funded entities would be required to interpret “sex” to include “gender identity.” If a man identities as a woman, they are to be treated as a woman. That includes, notably, high school and college sports.
Why have men and women always competed separately when it comes to sports in the first place? And why are they still? We are in the 21st century, right? A woman can do anything a man can do and even more, right? Believe me, I am all about girlpower.
But as equal as the sexes are, our biology will never be the same. The objective of equality of outcomes is fundamental, but the objective of the equality of outcomes is fundamentally flawed.
On a very basic level, the two genders are divided not because of their genders, but because the biological gender they are born with results in certain hormonal levels which have a lot to do with the level of athletic ability that person can achieve. One particular hormone is testosterone. You will find much more of this in men. In fact, men’s testosterone levels are around 280 to 1,100 Nano grams per deciliter while women’s normal levels are between 15 and 70 Nano grams per deciliter. This hormone increases bone density, and causes muscle mass growth and strength. It also triggers facial hair growth, so women everywhere should be thankful our bodies don’t produce more of that.
In light of this difference, pitting genders against one another physically would not challenge either competitor to achieve their highest athletic ability.
However, there are female athletes with a much higher level of testosterone than the average female. This includes Caster Semenya, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist in middle-distance running. The International Association of Athletics Federations has attempted to regulate situations such as these by making a separate classification for athletes of Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) and will require those athletes to reduce their blood testosterone levels if they want to compete internationally. For some, situations like Semenya, justify allowing transgender women to compete with biological women. But using a statistical anomaly on the very outer bounds of the distribution mean of physiological traits to set policy for all is scientifically absurd.
What exactly happens when a male declares himself to be female? Do his hormone levels drop to match that of the average woman automatically? And as a result of that, does his athletic ability suddenly change to match that against whom he competes? Does his lung capacity decrease? How about his body fat percentage and muscle mass, does that change? No. Simply, when a man begins the process of becoming a transgender woman, he goes on hormone reducers. On the other hand, when a woman begins the transition from female to male, she is put on steroids, raising the level of testosterone.
Over time, these hormonal changes affect the individual’s body. But it won’t change them completely. Transgender women will still have more muscle mass and higher bone density than the average cisgender female, allowing them an athletic advantage, in a way, like Semenya. These advantages are physiological. They are present as a result of nature, not as a result of societal pressures or oppressive expectations.
As a former collegiate athlete, the idea that a subpar male athlete could declare himself a female, then swoop into women’s sports, dominate, and bump girls out of the running to receive a college scholarship, or win a state title, or get to playoffs, or compete at a national level, strikes me as taking opportunities away from women, not the other way around.
Girls and women should not be told to accept this as the new normal. In the name of progress and equal opportunity, it’s the height of irony to tell women they should just accept a scientifically un-level playing field which clearly discriminates against their gender.
In case we have forgotten, the strides women have made in sports have been rather recent. Of those who competed in the 2014 Olympics, 40 percent were women, compared to 2.2 percent in the 1900 Olympic games. The Women’s National Basketball Association has only been in existence for 23 years. National Pro-Fastpitch was only established in 2004. The Women's Tennis Association has been around for less than 50 years. Sports have opened numerous doors for women, but those doors have not been open long.
Why would we let men, claiming they know what being female is like, come in and boot us out of our own opportunities?
The attempt to allow men to compete in women’s sports, or the larger Equality Act, is simply an attempt to erase the reality of biological sex. It’s absurd.
It’s common knowledge that Mississippi receives plenty of negative coverage in the news. Whether it's fair or not, Janelle Hederman and her brother, Will, are working to change that.
They view their Airbnb property as a place that provides a positive, engaging, Southern experience for those visiting; a counter to the less than favorable image some have of the state. That’s a good thing.
Janelle and Will have been hosting for five years now. They split the work of the Airbnb half and half. Will, who resides in Texas, handles the online element and bookings, while Janelle restocks the property with necessities and takes care of the things that can’t be done via computer.
The property sits up against the reservoir in Rankin county. Wood paneling lines the walls of the house of this house with a very 60s feel about it. The Hedermans bought the property, which had been in the family, from their cousins six years ago. They knew that such a peaceful location shouldn’t be wasted, but at the time, neither lived in the state. The Hedermans did not want a long-term renter and the property was already furnished so it seemed more economical and efficient to sign on with the then-up and coming Airbnb.
The big question was who would vacation in Rankin county. Over 150 bookings, 600 people, and five years later, that question has been answered.
Guests have ranged from in-state, California, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Kansas, to the United Kingdom and France. They even come from minutes away as in the case of two medical students who initially came for a month to study. They ended up staying for two. The Hedermans have also hosted students and their parents, bass fishermen, softball and soccer teams, family reunions, and wedding rehearsal dinners. They’ve even had people come film music videos and documentaries on the property.
When asked what the draw is about Airbnb, Janelle thinks that it comes down to how economical it is. The Hedermans property has bedding for 12 people, however, it can accommodate more. The sports teams have brought the most in, consisting of 15 or 16 people. In addition to the economy of Airbnb, entertainment is provided. The Hedermans have fishing poles, john boats, and canoes all ready to be taken out on the reservoir, along with plenty of space for kids to run around the yard. It’s all part of the welcoming experience.
While the city of Jackson considers regulations that would drive most Airbnb operators out of town, the Hedermans have already had to fight for theirs. Two years ago, Pearl River Valley Water Supply tried to put an end to Airbnb in the area. In the end, PRV did not succeed in eliminating Airbnb properties, but the issue did bring up concern regarding property rights. Janelle says many neighborhoods already have covenants that address whether residents can rent their property out or not and thinks it should be left that way.
There’s no need for any overhead government or government agency to come in and tell neighborhood residents what they can or can’t do.
According to Janelle, Airbnb is in the middle of a Southern clash; on one hand, Mississippians are friendly and want the comfort of knowing everyone in their neighborhood without strangers coming and going. On the other hand, companies like Airbnb can have a significant impact on economies, which Mississippi needs.
As a resident of Belhaven, Janelle believes Jackson’s economy itself could use a facelift. As to concerns about strangers coming and going, Janelle says Airbnb is based on the premise of the Golden Rule. The company has a system in place to hold everyone accountable. Just like guests have the ability to rate a property and leave a review, hosts can do the same for guests. Once you have a bad review as a renter, there’s little chance a host will be willing to take you on again.
In Janelle’s experience, the majority of Airbnb users are good, honest, hardworking people looking to have a good time and a good experience in a quiet place. Ultimately, Janelle is convinced that the concern of not knowing one’s neighbors should give way to the economic factor.
Janelle is confident that having Airbnb makes people more comfortable in coming to the state, and once they are here, an opportunity to show them all the good happening throughout the state, opens up.
Possibly changing negative minds about Mississippi.
While the Jackson City Council considers an ordinance which could drastically limit Airbnb and other short-term rental properties in the area, Jan Serpente continues to maintain and prepare her cottage in anticipation of her next guests.
She first learned of Airbnb about two years ago, when her youngest son, Sam, suggested she and her husband rent out their recently fixed-up wash house in their backyard. “One year he said, ‘mom, why don’t you rent this out?’” Within the first 24 hours that the space was listed on the Airbnb site, she had her first visitor scheduled. Two years later, she has welcomed and hosted over 200 guests in the Jackson area.
“I think people want to experience their travel, and this gives them an experience,” Jan says.
Jan and her husband moved to Jackson from the Coast after Katrina. Most of the guests she and her husband have hosted are either traveling from Memphis to New Orleans or from Dallas to the beach. A drive, Jan says, that is too long to cover in one day. However, she has also hosted visitors from Cambridge, England; New York; and locals looking for a weekend retreat.
For those visiting the area, Jan leaves out a list of places of interest, restaurant suggestions, and places to explore. Jan and her husband themselves have traveled a bit, though not extensively. Their last stay in a hotel ended when a lawnmower smashed into their room causing them to swear off hotels completely. She says that when someone visits a town, they generally want the local experience of that town. Which is what they get with an Airbnb. With Airbnb, we can give our customers that local town experience.
In Jan’s opinion, Airbnb’s growing popularity comes from a few factors; the comfort level an Airbnb space provides can offer an alternative to a national hotel chain, it generally costs less than a hotel, and an Airbnb can add to a traveler’s experience in ways most hotels just can’t.
Especially important to Jan is the comfort of her guests. She bakes fresh bread every day and makes sure to leave some in the cottage to welcome the guests when they arrive. She also leaves snacks like fruit and instant grits.
“It just makes me happy,” Jan added. “I’ve always liked visitors. I like to make them cozy beds, I like to make good food. So, it’s kind of a spiritual experience that you’re taking care of strangers. You want them to be comfortable, safe, happy. You want it to be a good experience for them.”
By adding to guests’ traveling experience, Jan gets an experience of her own. She describes Airbnb hosting as a way of seeing the world from the comfort of her own home. An experience she loves to share with her granddaughter, who often accompanies her in welcoming guests.
How does a potential renter know if they will be staying in a nice house? Airbnb uses a peer-to-peer review system. If an Airbnb is not up to standards, guests can complain or leave a bad rating. When customers rate a host poorly, that host is likely taken off the Airbnb site completely and kicked out of the system. If a host wants his or her location to stay up on the site, they must provide the best experience possible. This puts the power in the hands of the users and guests who stay at these Airbnb locations, rather than in the hands of government.
We want to keep this power in the hands of the costumers rather than forcing local restrictions on hosts, as various cities in Mississippi, including Jackson, are either attempting to do or have already done.
In Jan’s opinion, the city of Jackson should be doing things to promote Airbnb in Jackson.
“I think we’re doing the city of Jackson a favor,” Jan said. “We’re fabulous ambassadors. Visitors come here for a stay and I want it to be nice for them.”
Considering Jan’s level of constant guests, she is sure that this is what people want. And she enjoys putting on a good face for Jackson. Since moving here over a decade ago, Jan and her husband have considered if they wanted to stay in Jackson on several occasions. Ultimately, there is a lot about Jackson they are both proud of and they want to share that pride with others. Airbnb has given them a way to use their property to do exactly that.
“You kinda want to share that with other people, it’s easy to be here.”
As a conservative woman, I consider campus free speech and free association protections to be vitally important.
In my experience, conservative women are more likely to have their ideas attacked and silenced on many campuses. Maybe it’s because we believe in taking responsibility for our actions. Maybe it’s because we don’t blame the so-called misogynistic patriarchy for all our problems. Maybe it’s because we refuse to believe there is a glass ceiling limiting our opportunities or maybe it’s because we know we don’t have to keep the victim card in our back pockets “just in case.” Whatever the reason, conservative women can sometimes find themselves with a target on their back.
Consider the case of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. A few years ago, Rice was invited to Rutgers University to deliver a commencement address. The campus outcry was so divisive that Rice eventually declined to speak.
Two years later while delivering a commencement address at the same school, then president Barack Obama reminded the students and faculty of Rutgers that they should embrace debate and discussion. “Don’t feel like you got to shut your ears off because you’re too fragile and somebody might offend your sensibilities,” counseled Obama. “Go at them if they’re not making any sense. Use your logic and reason and words.” The Rutgers population could have used that message a couple years earlier.
Discouraging free speech and association
Far too often, college campuses are not places where students are encouraged to use logic, reason and words to dialogue about a controversial issue. As a conservative woman in college, I personally encountered an environment that discouraged political free speech and association.
As a freshman, I realized that there was a need for an organization where students could meet and discuss different ideas. So, I started a student conservative women’s organization to do just that. To start, I needed a faculty sponsor. My potential sponsor, though, had concerns of backlash from other faculty members. She was also worried about how her employer – the administration of the college – would treat her for sponsoring a conservative political group. This woman loved her job. She was a good professor. She was a great advisor. It’s terrible she had to consider the future stability of her job before she could sponsor a campus club that shared her own opinions and beliefs.
As it turns out, her concerns were real. The university did not appreciate our group’s constitution. The administration was scared. They were scared of causing any sort of friction among students. And they were scared that some students might be offended. After much back and forth, I finally persuaded the Student Life administrators to allow our group to be formed, thus creating an empowering place where conservative women could assemble, meet, and share our ideas.
It’s concerning to me that my own college campus was so nervous about legitimate debate on important topics that my own group almost didn’t even get started, which, in a way, would have silenced my own voice. Whatever happened to the constitutional right to free association?
The FORUM Act
It’s also concerning to me that, even here in Mississippi, attacks are made on campus free speech. However, there are some who are combating this, like Rep. Stacey Wilkes who introduced The FORUM Act this legislative session. Though it did not become law this year, the protections Rep. Wilkes is championing, such as the right to free speech and free association on Mississippi college campuses, are incredibly important. FORUM is designed to protect the lawful, constitutional expression of students and the campus community, provide recourse should those rights be inhibited, and to make the university accountable for protecting those rights.
As a Missouri native, I know firsthand the problems that can occur when college campuses do not have clear policies to protect the free speech and free association rights of all students. Three years after I established my conservative women’s club, months of protests at the University of Missouri showed just how necessary legislation like the FORUM Act is and what can happen when colleges and universities do not have a clear plan to follow that would protect the campus community’s right to speech.
The University of Missouri
At one such protest, a professor taking part in the demonstration demanded the use of force to keep student journalists from documenting the protestors, violating the media’s First Amendment protection to do so. It took four months and intense pressure from the media and the public before she was fired from her position at Mizzou. Following this incident, campus police threatened the Mizzou community announcing that the university’s Office of Student Conduct would take “disciplinary action” against students who had reportedly engaged in any “hurtful speech.” The email sent out with the announcement stated that though the language was not criminal, they wanted such incidents reported and that the Office of Student Conduct could take disciplinary action if the individuals were identified as students.
Four months prior to all of this, in July, Missouri became the second state in the nation to pass the Campus Free Expression Act (Senate Bill 93). The legislation’s purpose was to protect campus media coverage and counter protests, as well as regular protests anywhere on university property. Essentially, the bill eliminated campus free-speech zones. In this case, obviously, protestors were taking full advantage of that freedom. Which is good, and this was a good first step. However, had the Missouri legislature gone further, passing something like the FORUM Act, most of what happened at Mizzou could have been avoided, or dealt with in a more appropriate way.
What FORUM would do is bring back a campus culture in which people get accustomed to hearing points of views different than their own. From there, they would learn to respond in a respectful and civil manner. This is the exact opposite of what Mizzou did. Instead, they tried to suppress the speech of others in their attempt to appease the protestors. Once all the drama cleared, Mizzou realized where they went wrong in prolonging the protests and began taking steps to recover. This included adopting a policy statement committing the university to free speech principles.
Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes is credited with writing that, “The protection of a people’s right to hear is of particular importance on college campuses, where students’ intellectual development is dependent on the ‘free trade in ideas.’” Ultimately, it is dedication to these principles that we should all share – whether conservative or liberal, or female or male.
Everyone will benefit from campus free speech and free association protections, especially the students our university systems are supposed to serve.