Kostas Kharlamov, as drag queen Sletlana is called in daily life, was refused twice by a taxi in Amsterdam during the last Pride. The accusations of discrimination and homophobia target taxi company Uber, mainly because it is not the first time that a drag queen has been banned from boarding a driver. When the Uber driver saw him, he quickly drove away and canceled the ride.
The Amsterdam taxi industry promised to improve in tackling discrimination after an incident two years ago during Pride Amsterdam. A cab driver then refused to take drag queen and Pride Ambassador Jennifer Hopelezz. The Amsterdam Authorized Taxi Organizations (TTOs), Uber, ViaVan and Royal Dutch Transport then signed a declaration of intent together with the municipality and the Meldpunt Discriminatie Regio Amsterdam to combat discrimination. Still, Kharlamov believes that nothing has changed and the statement is worth nothing.
culture shock
Kharlamov is according to the report in Hart van Nederland originally a Ukrainian, who four years ago decided to seek refuge in Amsterdam. He has a striking appearance as drag queen Sletlana. With extravagant outfits and a pig nose on the face, it seems possible that drivers are simply startled by the appearance.
"It could be culture shock. They might be scared or impressed by my appearance. But it doesn't matter how you put on your make-up or how you dress. This is homophobia."
Three measures were included in the statement at the time. From now on, drivers must always be held accountable for discrimination, appropriate measures must be taken when identifying discrimination, and someone has been appointed within all parties that have signed the declaration who will increase awareness among drivers.
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response Uber
The taxi company has now Heart of the Netherlands express their regret for the incidents. Uber says the drivers are self-employed and that there is nothing they can do. Kharlamov says in a response that if there is clear homophobia or transphobia, then they should no longer work as taxi drivers. Kharmalov is not the first to experience this. Since 2018, Richard Keldoulis (aka Jennifer Hopezz) regular same.
“Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident but a daily reality for drags, fetishists, transgender people and anyone who stands out, causing enormous anger in the LGBTQ + community. I am happy that this will eventually lead to something positive and hopefully ensure that taxis in Amsterdam are safe for all residents of this city. ”
Uber says that discrimination because of who you are and how you look is unacceptable and they are very sad that this has happened. Everyone has the right to a safe ride. Uber has contacted the individuals who reported discrimination and immediately launched an investigation. The company has also taken various measures to exclude discrimination, such as introducing a function within the Uber app to report discrimination immediately and securely.
Also read: Taxi industry promises recovery after refusing drag queen Jennifer Hopelezz
