Melbourne man Drew Ezell was on his way home from a typical night out when his Uber driver pulled over and told him to get out of the car.
He was coming from a Collingwood gay bar and was kissing another man, an act he said the homophobic driver labelled “disgusting”.
“Last night I went to a gay bar and I drank. I sang. I danced. I celebrated being in the community I love. Because I refuse to live a life in fear. But last night something did scare me,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“I caught an Uber home. Like I have many times before. But this time I had someone with me. I kissed them. And for that, we got kicked out of our Uber. Because two men kissing disgusted someone so much that they refused to drive two people home. I was, and still am, furious about this.”
The creative writing and film student from Brunswick said he was — and still is — furious about the incident, but in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, a targeted attack on the LGBTI community, it also filled him with fear.
“I have every right to live my life, to love the people I do, to not be afraid to kiss the person I want just because they are a man,” he wrote.
“But this morning when I woke up. I had a moment of fear. Because on Sunday, someone decided that two men kissing was reason enough to massacre 50 of them.
“It was a small moment of fear, and it passed. And then I went back to feeling angry. And a little sad. Angry that I now live in a world where the thought that me kissing someone might lead to the death of others. Angry that that is even a thought I have to have. Angry that so much senseless violence happens. Angry that 50 of my brothers and sisters are now dead because of who they loved.”
Top Comments
Uber is illegal. It utilises slave labour and bullies governments. Boycott it
Why can't passengers simply get into a taxi/uber and not get into heated arguments about sexuality, politics and religion with the driver? Same goes for drunks and overt displays of kissing and groping between couples of any sexual persuasion.