In a recent Twitter thread, gay dad James Moed shared a disturbing incident where an Uber driver apparently called the police after telling Moed and his husband their crying baby “needed his mother.”
Moed and his husband were staying at the Marriott Marina while traveling in San Diego last week. The couple, who live in the UK, was awakened by a knock at their hotel room door at 1:30 a.m.
At the door were police officers who demanded to see the men’s identification.
According to the Twitter thread, Moed shared “It turns out the @Uber driver who had taken us back to the hotel had called the cops – accusing us of…child trafficking? Endangerment?”
Apparently, during their Uber ride to the hotel, their driver told the couple their crying infant “needed his mother.” Even though the men explained the child has two dads, the driver “didn’t back down.”
The police departed peacefully after the couple showed their identification including their son’s passport to prove they weren’t ‘child trafficking.’
But even after the officers left the hotel, the men were shaken.
“Stayed awake freaking out,” wrote Moed. “What if we hadn’t had his passport? The cops had been less agreeable? Where can my #queerfamily travel safely?”
The father shared that he had contacted Uber about their driver’s behavior and the app’s algorithm replied with a form letter and a refund.
Insisting he didn’t want a refund, he says he pressed on asking for “proof that you keep #LGBTQ riders safe from homophobic drivers.”
A few hours later, Moed added that he had spoken to Uber support requesting an “apology from the driver (not his dismissal)” as well as evidence of LGBTQ sensitivity training.
So far, the couple hasn’t indicated if they’d heard back from Uber.
It turns out the @Uber driver who had taken us to the hotel had called the cops – accusing us of.. child trafficking? endangerment?
— James Moed (@jamesmoed) February 5, 2020
Stayed awake freaking out – what if we hadn’t had his passport? ..the cops had been less agreeable? Where can my #queerfamily travel safely?
— James Moed (@jamesmoed) February 5, 2020
Spoke to @Uber_Support. Requested apology from the driver (not his dismissal) + evidence of LGBTQ sensitivity training program. Awaiting response.
— James Moed (@jamesmoed) February 5, 2020
We’d like to hear from you, readers – have any of you ever had a homophobic experience while using Uber?
Let us know in the comments below.
This wouldn’t have even been an issue if it had been a heterosexual couple under the same set of circumstances.
I do not use Uber – and won’t. There have been too many instances of drivers who are just jerks, thinking they have authority over their customers.
I don’t trust them, and chances are, never will.