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California Court Upholds Sexual Harassment Award To Firefighters Ordered To Drive In LGBT Pride Parade

By Howard M. Friedman

In Ghiotto v. City of San Diego, (CA App. Oct. 14, 2010), a California state appellate court upheld a trial court's award of damages for sexual harassment and an award of attorneys' fees to four firefighters who were required, over their personal objections, to drive a fire engine in the San Diego Pride Parade celebrating the local LGBT community. Parade spectators directed sexual comments and gestures at the firefighters and some spectators wore sexually suggestive clothing or exposed themselves. The appeals court also affirmed the trial court's dismissal of plaintiffs' free expression challenge, finding that only injunctive relief had been sought and a policy change limiting staffing of parades to volunteers meant that there is no threat of firefighters being forced to participate in parades in the future. (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Alliance Alert for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on October 27, 2010 (boomark / email).