Fired gay anchorman ‘told not to marry or have kids’

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A TV news reporter in Florida who claimed he was removed as the presenter of a high-profile show because he is gay has said he was told not to get married or have children.

Charles Perez, 46, claimed ABC in Miami (WPLG) took him off the nightly bulletin and pushed him onto the weekend editions. He was fired last week after filing a discrimination suit

In a column for the Daily Beast, he wrote: “Bottom line, I believe they sold me out as soon as my being gay became too widely known. It made them uncomfortable and made me, in their eyes, less advertiser-friendly.”

Peres also accused station bosses of discouraging him from getting married and having children.

He wrote: “It was a suggestion that never would have been made to one of my straight colleagues, male or female. The only thing I could take from it was that my profile as a gay man, especially if I were to have kids and, God forbid, get married, would render me less promotable and less advertiser-friendly.

“In fact, over the previous five months, I’d been told, ‘Don’t get married, Charles. We don’t need that.’ I’d also been told not to have children. In essence: ‘You’re the main anchor and you’re gay, but let’s not push it.'”

The station has denied Perez’ claims. WPLG news director Bill Pohovey called the allegations outrageous.

“As a gay man myself, I can safely say the station does not discriminate against gay people. Charles’ claim that the station discriminates against gay people is untrue and offensive,” he said.

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