'Don't Worry, I'm Gay'

If he had allegedly groped a male student, would it have been OK? I'm very confused by all this.

A skydiving instructor who joked with a female student that he couldn't be falling for her because he's gay has filed a discrimination suit, claiming he was cut loose from his job because of the quip.

Donald Zarda was strapped tightly to the woman, identified only as Rosanna, as they floated to earth in a tandem jump June 18, when he told her, "Don't worry, I'm gay."

Rosanna complained to his then-boss at Skydive Long Island in Calverton, Ray Maynard.

Zarda says Maynard accused him of "inappropriate behavior" and also said he had touched the student "in a way that made her uncomfortable."

But the skydiver scoffs at the allegation he had fondled the woman.

"I'm 100 percent gay," Zarda told The Post.

"So, you're accusing me -- the gay guy -- of touching the girl inappropriately?

"The situation is so bizarre."

He claims all the instructors routinely joke with customers about the awkwardness of a stranger being strapped to their backs, including raunchy sexual references.

Zarda, 40, says he has applied for jobs elsewhere, but, because of the incident, was told to take a flying leap.

"It's been very difficult," he said. "It has had a very big impact, emotionally."

He claims Maynard has refused to let him watch videos of the jump, which he insists would clear him.

Seems to me looking to get off while you're hurtling to earth might be the last thing on anyone's mind. Seems also if you're a novice jumper your instructor is going to be holding on to you pretty tightly.