Gay couple told it is ‘against Uber rules’ for them to cuddle
PinkNews Exclusive
Cab company Uber is facing fresh accusations of homophobia, as it emerges that a couple was subjected to homophobic abuse by one of its drivers, the same week that a gay couple were kicked out of a cab for kissing.
A PinkNews reader forwarded messages between himself and a spokesman for the cab company, who apologised, gave a refund and and said the driver had been suspended.
The reader who had been out for dinner on 1 January with his boyfriend, said he was told by the driver that it was “against the Uber rules” for him to hug his boyfriend in the back of one of the company’s cars. He also said a friend, who was sat in the front of the vehicle alongside the driver, heard him “mutter homophobic comments”, and that the driver then took a photo of the couple on his phone.
In the emails, the Uber representative said the company takes accusations of homophobia “very seriously”, and condemned the incident which took place on 1 January.
Corey Watts and his boyfriend Jordan Sloan said they were asked by the driver to get our of the car after they kissed.
An Uber spokesman told PinkNews: “Uber celebrates diversity and does not tolerate any form of discrimination whatsoever. We have been in contact with this rider to offer our full support and ensure we have all the necessary information. Uber prides itself on providing the highest quality, safest and most convenient service, so we take any incident where we fall short very seriously. In all serious incidences we suspend the driver in question while we investigate.”
