“Bombarded with hundreds of sexual advances”

California Catholic Daily -

Trial nears in case of San Diego firefighters forced to take part in “gay pride” parade

Jury selection was scheduled to begin today in the case of four San Diego firefighters who have sued the city, saying they were forced to participate in the 2007 “Gay Pride” parade and subjected to sexually demeaning gestures and catcalls as a consequence.

Capt. John Ghiotto, engineer Jason Hewitt and firefighters Chad Allison and Alex Kane filed the civil lawsuit, alleging their superiors forced them, in full uniform and on their city fire truck, to attend the July 21, 2007 San Diego “Gay Pride” parade over their objections.

“You could not even look at the crowd without getting some kind of sexual gesture,” said one of the firefighters in a Law Center press release issued shortly after the event. “If any crew member were to hang up pictures at the station of what we saw, we would be disciplined.”

During the parade, the firefighters “were subjected to vile sexual taunts from homosexuals lining the parade route,” said the press release. Among the comments hurled at the firefighters as they traversed the parade route were “show me your hose,” “you can put out my fire,” “you’re making me hot,” “give me mouth-to-mouth,” “blow my hose,” according to the Law Center. When the firefighters did not respond, “some in the crowd turned hostile and started shouting, ‘F—k you firemen’ and others began ‘flipping them off,’” said the press release. Some bystanders committed lewd acts, directed at the firefighters, such as exposing their genitals, grabbing the crotch, and blowing kisses.

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