Flight Attendants Upset Jennifer Aniston Signed Deal With Homophibic Emirates Airlines
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) is showing concern after Jennifer Aniston signed on to be the new global face of Emirates, the biggest airline in the Middle East.
Aniston is rumored to be making five million dollars from the deal, but members of APFA are hoping she will think twice before becoming their brand ambassador.
"APFA has serious concerns about the way the Gulf carriers treat and manage their flight crews, particularly women and gay men," said President Laura Glading.
"Regressive legal systems and cultural norms make the work experience in countries like the UAE very different from those in western democracies," she added. "We hope that Ms. Aniston will fully evaluate Emirates employment policies before lending her name and celebrity to the brand."
Emirates is wholly owned by the Government of Dubai, where same-sex sexual activity is strictly prohibited and punishable with imprisonment.
When questioned about whether or not it banned openly gay employees, a spokesperson for the airline offered the following statement:
"Emirates adheres to the anti-discrimination employment laws of each country it operates in. Emirates does not ask prospective employees about their sexual orientation during any stage of recruitment and does not keep data on employees’ sexual orientation."
