JUST posted on their Facebook Wall…The Seattle Great Wheel responds to charges of LGBTQ discrimination with a statement:
The Seattle Great Wheel welcomes people from all different backgrounds and lifestyles. We have never and will never discriminate against someone based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. We do, however, reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who fails to cooperate with our safety guidelines and rules. We love and look forward to serving everyone who wants to enjoy the Seattle Great Wheel.
UPDATE:And, they’ve issued a follow up statement with more detail relating to the alleged incident:
The allegations against the Seattle Great Wheel are totally false. Our company has a long history of serving and employing members of the GBLT community and we are deeply saddened that we are being labeled as homophobic. The two individuals were asked to leave because of their behavior, which included putting their shoes on the leather seats and acting disrespectfully and unruly to our staff. Their behavior delayed the operation of the wheel for several minutes, disrupting the ride for our other passengers. We politely asked them to leave after they refused to cooperate, and they were given a full refund. Our staff was unaware of their sexual orientation and that played no role in their being asked to leave. We look forward to having everyone ride the wheel, including our friends in Seattle’s GBLT community.
Unless the person who originally made these charges files a complaint, we consider this matter closed. Discriminating against LGBTQ people is wrong. Claiming that you are the victim of discrimination when you are not, is equally wrong and hurts the real victims of discrimination.
We’re also not fans of jumping on the “Boycott Bandwagon” without just cause. Facts are helpful before you make judgements about anything or anyone.
