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Skydiving Instructor Fired For Groping Woman While Falling
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 4, 2010
Modified Oct 4, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 4, 2010
Modified Oct 4, 2010
Share
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A skydiving instructor is suing his former boss for firing him because he allegedly touched a woman inappropriately while he was strapped to her back plummeting to the earth. Before the jump, Donald Zarda (Facebook) told the woman, identified only as Rosanna, that she shouldn't worry about him groping her because he's gay. The student later complained to Zarda's boss at Skydive Long Island, claiming that Zarda touched her "in a way that made her uncomfortable." Maybe he should have let her pull her own ripcord?
Zarda tells the Post, "I'm 100 percent gay. So, you're accusing me—the gay guy—of touching the girl inappropriately? The situation is so bizarre." Ray Maynard, who owns Skydive Long Island, says Zarda was let go because there was "more than one single incident" of "inappropriate behavior in the workplace." So now Zarda's been looking for work at other skydiving companies, but he says it's a tough job market for a 100% gay skydiving instructor accused of making students uncomfortable while strapped to their backs in midair.
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Donald Zarda
gay
skydiving
tandem skydiving
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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