Firefighters Win Battle in San Diego Gay Pride Parade Case

Cities can't order their employees to take part in events that might expose them to harassment and ridicule (h/t Say Anything):

A court says San Diego firefighters cannot be forced to participate in homosexual “pride” parades — and that the city’s forcing four of them to do so three years ago subjected them to “sexual harassment.”

Four San Diego firefighters filed suit against the city in 2009 and won in the case surrounding their forced participation in a 2007 “gay pride” parade. The city, however, appealed that decision — and Alliance Defense Fund attorney Joe Infranco tells OneNewsNow that the appellate court agreed Thursday with the lower court.

“[The court found] that they had been sexually harassed by the city’s compelling them to take part in a so-called ‘gay pride’ parade — and they said essentially the city of San Diego did not have a right to force these firefighters to take part,” the attorney summarizes.

In its ruling, the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District, Division One, stated “that the record contains substantial evidence to support a finding that the sexual harassment experienced by the Firefighters during the Pride Parade was severe and pervasive, thus altering the conditions of employment and creating a hostile or abusive work environment.”

According to Infranco, what the firefighters had to endure during the parade is difficult to describe in polite company.

“They were subject for three hours to hundreds and hundreds of lewd gestures [and] cat calls,” he explains. “They saw people gyrating and pantomiming sex acts, and wearing [sexually graphic] outfits and engaging in behavior…that would be embarrassing to discuss.”

That doesn't sound like behavior that anyone should be "proud" of.