A devout Christian lifeguard filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County Fire Department, claiming the government’s requirement to fly the rainbow Progress Pride flag forced him to choose between his job and his faith.
“I felt like I was being targeted or entrapped by [Section] Chief [Arthur] Lester and my religious beliefs were not being taken seriously,” Captain Jeffrey Little wrote in a complaint to the county, which was included in the suit. “He did not notify me of this change and gave me no heads up that the flags would be flying.”
In March 2023, the LA County Board of Supervisors passed a motion requiring the Progress Pride flag — a rainbow flag that has additional colors to represent transgender people and people of color — to be flown at county facilities throughout June, known as LGBTQ “Pride” month. Little requested a religious accommodation that would exempt him from personally raising the Pride flag at his station, according to the suit.
The request was granted the same day, and Little, who has served the Los Angeles County Fire Department for over 22 years, was promised he wouldn’t have to raise the flag himself or ensure that it was raised at his station.
However, when he arrived at work two days later, one of his supervisors left three Pride flags near his station and lifeguards were ordered to fly the flags, according to the lawsuit.
Little said he took down the flags and, later that day, followed up with human resources, which told him his religious accomodation request was now denied. Lester, his supervising officer, ordered Little to put up the flag at his tower, according to the suit.
