Lyft driver tells gay man to ‘burn in hell’ after Stonewall riots dinner
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 11: The Lyft logo is displayed on a car on March 11, 2019 in San Francisco, California. On-demand transportation company Lyft has filed paperwork for its initial public offering that is expected to value the company at up to $25 billion. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A man from Washington DC has said he was told to “burn in hell” by his Lyft driver because he is gay, as he was driven home from an exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
Greg Alexander was attending a private dinner on March 7 to mark the opening of “Rise Up” at the Newseum, when he ordered a Lyft at about 9pm, reports LGBT+ news outlet Washington Blade.
He started talking to the driver, who asked about the exhibit he had just seem.
Lyft driver tells gay man to “burn in hell”
Speaking to the Washington Blade, Alexander said he replied: “It’s for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots … which helped launch the gay rights movement.”
He said that the driver, known only as Jeremy, responded: “Gay rights? What is that? Is this a new movement?..There is no need for gay rights.”
Alexander said the driver then told him that “God loves you,” before asking him to pray with him.
“The behaviour described is absolutely unacceptable. Safety is our top priority and there is no place in our community for harassment or discrimination of any kind.”
—Campbell Matthews, a Lyft communications manager
Alexander refused, before asking the driver what would he believed would happen to him as a gay man.
“You will burn in hell,” the driver said, according to Alexander.
“God loves everyone but he hates your sin.”
The Lyft logo is displayed on a car on March 7, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Alexander filed a complaint with Lyft immediately after the incident.
Lyft driver is fired over incident
On Tuesday, Lyft confirmed in an email to Washington Blade that the driver had been fired over the incident.
Campbell Matthews, a Lyft communications manager, told Washington Blade: “The behavior described is absolutely unacceptable.
“Safety is our top priority and there is no place in our community for harassment or discrimination of any kind.
“We have permanently banned the driver from the Lyft platform and reached out to the passenger to offer our support.”
