Gay Games 9 takes place in Cleveland & Akron, Ohio, Aug. 9-16. You can register here – be part of the fun with Emy and other LGBT athletes!

A slew of taxi drivers in Cleveland are refusing to drive their cabs because of a promotion on the vehicles promoting the Gay Games, according to various news outlets. The only reason being given is "religious beliefs," and 19 Action News has been told the drivers are predominantly Muslim.

If you weren't going to the Gay Games (Aug. 9-16 in Cleveland and Akron), hopefully this will encourage you to come take a stand. This is one of the reasons the Federation of Gay Games chose Cleveland – to have a positive cultural impact on an area that needs it. The government and most of the community have embraced the Gay Games. Going there and being visible will help educate people like these religious taxi drivers.

From Cleveland.com:

Hopkins [Airport] released a statement saying that two of the three taxi companies operating at the airport — Ace and Yellow Taxi – were informed by several of their drivers they will no longer participate in the airport's dedicated taxi cab program.

Patrick Keenan, general manager for the third company, Americab, said two of his drivers also have opted not to drive because of the Gay Games ads. The drivers are Muslims, Keenan and Hopkins spokeswoman Jackie Mayo said.

The drivers told their companies that their decision was based on religious reasons, Hopkins said in its statement.

19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports

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