We’re told A&E CEO Nancy Dubuc felt she could not in good conscience ask gay employees to kill themselves for a show when he disrespected them by calling them sinners.

Our sources say … gay employees involved in the production — and there are a number of them — were outraged by Phil’s comments to GQ and wanted Dubuc to give him the ax.

We’re told Dubuc felt this way … If Phil had made similar comments about African Americans or Jews … there would have been a public outcry for his head. She felt it was just plain wrong not to have the same sense of indignation when the comments were directed at gays.

Our sources say GLAAD was heavily involved in lobbying the network to 86 Phil, and they had an impact.