A Long Island skydiving instructor claims that he was unfairly fired for inappropriately touching a female student -- something he says is ridiculous because he is gay.
Donald Zarda was attached to the back of the woman, "Rosanna," when they jumped out of a perfectly good airplane on June 18, the Post reports. As they floated to the ground awkwardly close together he told her, "Don't worry, I'm gay."
But Zarda says the woman later complained to his boss at Skydive Long Island in Calverton.
Then Zarda, 40, was let go for "inappropriate behavior." He says his boss accused him of touching the woman "in a way that made her uncomfortable."
Zarda has filed a discrimination suit against Skydive Long Island, telling the Post that getting the boot "has had a very big impact, emotionally."
A lawyer for the skydiving company told the Post that Zarda "was terminated for inappropriate behavior in the workplace."
