Gay couple Ron McCoy and Chris Bowers traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico last month for its annual Pride Festival , but it also seemed that they traveled back in time when a driver on an airport shuttle bus demanded that they move to the back of the bus because he was disgusted and appalled that they were holding hands.
McCoy said he and his partner sat in the front of a shuttle bus, holding hands when a driver discriminated against them.
“I saw him look at us, look down at his hands and he looked so angry,” McCoy said. “He just blurted out at me, he goes, “’Okay, if you’re going to do that, you’re going to the back of the bus.'”
Shocked and not wanting to cause problems, the couple obeyed. Once the shuttle stopped at its destination, however, the couple asked the driver why he forced them to move.
“I said, ‘I think it was because you didn’t like the fact that I was holding my partner’s hand.’ He goes, ‘See, now you’re telling on yourself.’ My partner responds, ‘Well, that’s discrimination,’ and the driver responds, ‘You’re telling on yourself again,’” McCoy said.
A woman, originally from Albuquerque, witnessed the confrontation and jumped in. “I told the bus driver that I was completely appalled that anybody would be treated this way,” said Bernadette Aguirre.
“And the driver looks back at us and goes, ‘I’ll show you what’s appalling,’ and he points to us,” McCoy said.
The back of the bus? RELLY? I ask you is there any location more symbolic of bigotry and in American history?
