Evangelical lifeguard files lawsuit against Los Angeles County for religious discrimination due to Pride flag mandate, raising concerns over conflicting beliefs and accommodation requests.
Lifeguard Sues Los Angeles County Over Pride Flag Mandate
Jeffrey Little, an evangelical Christian and longtime lifeguard, has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County for religious discrimination related to the mandate of flying the Pride flag. Little’s attorneys reported on Wednesday that he received a partial accommodation on May 31, just before Pride Month began, excusing him from personally hoisting or lowering the flag. However, as a captain, Little remains responsible for ensuring his subordinates raise the flag, allegedly conflicting with his religious beliefs.
The lawsuit claims the county’s supervisors voted to fly the Progress Pride flag at various government buildings, including lifeguard stations, throughout June. Little’s opposition stems from his Christian beliefs about the immutability of gender and same-sex activity. Last summer, Little was reprimanded for taking down Pride flags and was reportedly denied requests to be transferred to stations without the appropriate flagpoles.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department hasn’t commented on the pending litigation, but Little’s action has seemingly resonated with other personnel, as his attorney suggested a substantial number of similar accommodation requests have been filed. According to a county spokesperson, the number of such requests is fewer than a dozen.
Royal Artillery Regiment Flies Pride Flag Over D-Day Anniversary
The 47 Regiment Royal Artillery in Wiltshire chose to fly the Pride flag at Horne Barracks throughout June, including on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. This decision, intended to support the LGBTQ+ community, has sparked criticism among servicemen and women who feel it distracts from the regiment’s primary duties.
The regiment’s Pride flag includes elements representing transgender, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Some military personnel expressed dissatisfaction, citing a perceived imbalance in focus on diversity issues over traditional military values and strategic topics like the Ukraine conflict.
Colonel Stuart Tootal emphasized the need for balance, acknowledging the importance of diversity while cautioning against overemphasis at the expense of core military responsibilities. An army source defended the decision, explaining that the Union Flag continues to be flown from the main flagpole, with the Pride flag on a secondary one, indicating that both respects for D-Day and Pride Month can coexist. The Ministry of Defence did not comment on the matter.
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