Denied for having too small of family?

Hi,

My partner and I (31 + 31 F) just got denied for a house we applied to rent. They called us AAA applicants, we both have excellent credit scores well above 800, 100k in savings EACH and both professionals. I own my own private practice. The realtor even gave us his card to contact him again when we decided to buy a house.

We got denied today for that house and in the e-mail the realtor said it was because he decided the house was "too big for two people" and he decided he wanted a family to have it. It's a 3 bed townhouse. I'd finally have a dedicated office space.

The thing is, we're a lesbian couple. I fear that may have played into the decision to deny us. We can afford the rent between us and the utilities. We have a senior dog but there was hair all over the townhouse, kids named were sharpies on the walls, so they couldn't have really cared about the dog. The only other thing I can think of is that I asked if they would touch up the pain where there's sharpie on the walls.

My gut feels like, if we can afford the house as 2 professionals guaranteed to respect the property, why would the landlord suddenly decide to decline us if not on the basis of our sexual orientation? Who would prefer children in a home over us? Is that weird to anyone else? It also raises the question of wtf defines a "family" if we aren't considered one...