Are Bigoted Air Marshals Also Failing to Protect The Skies?

If you're gay, female, or a person of color working for the federal air marshals, there's some likelihood that you have been the target of discrimination and mockery from some of the higher-ups at the Federal Air Marshal Service.

Current and former federal air marshals have come forward to blow the whistle on colleagues who have instituted a work environment of homophobia, racism, and misogyny that Florida Sen. Bill Nelson said could compromise the safety of air travel.

On Thursday, a federal Inspector General will release the findings of a
two-year investigation of the Air Marshal Service. According to ABC News, the report will show "a great deal of tension, mistrust, and
dislike between non-supervisory and supervisory personnel in field
offices around the country."

Two years ago, a board game created in the style of the popular game show, Jeopardy, was discovered at an Orlando, Fla. training facility, shedding light on the Federal Air Marshal Service's discriminatory environment. The game had categories like "Pickle Smokers," directed at gay men, and "Our Gang" or "Buckwheat" directed at African Americans. One woman who was mocked because of her sexual orientation in the game ended up committing suicide, partially blaming the treatment she received at work.

"The culture is, hate African Americans, hate females, go after gays and lesbians cause we don't like the way they think," whistleblower and former air marshal Steve Theodoropoulos told ABC News.