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Cabbie Kicks Out Couple For Being Gay In Portland, OR

cab-couple-neal“I was initially shocked. This is Portland,” said Kate Neal (right) after she, her girlfriend Shankako Devoll and their friend were kicked out of a cab and left stranded on the highway early Friday morning.

According to Neal, she and Devoll were being affectionate with one another in the back of a Broadway Cab when their driver became angry and started yelling homophobic comments at them. When he realized that the two women were a couple,  he kicked out Neal, Devoll and their friend onto Interstate 84, telling them, “You can’t be gay in my cab.”

The women then flagged down a police officer, who gave them a ride home. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time, though Portland is known for being far more tolerant towards the LGBT community. Broadway Cab issued a statement on its Facebook page Friday evening, touting its diversity, and has launched an investigation into the incident. The City of Portland has also opened its own private investigation with which the cab company is cooperating.

Meanwhile, Devoll has hired Portland gay rights attorney Nicholas Yanchar to represent them.

Photo: KOIN 6 News

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