Gay rights are becoming Christian Crosses
Jeffrey Little’s Case Over Pride Flag Duties
Captain Jeffrey Little, a veteran of more than 20 years in the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division, is at the center of a high-profile legal dispute over a 2023 county policy requiring the display of the Progress Pride flag at county facilities during Pride month Yahoo+1.
Background
In 2023, LA County adopted a policy to fly the Progress Pride flag (a rainbow flag with additional stripes representing people of color, transgender and nonbinary people) at many government buildings, including lifeguard stations, throughout June EMS1. Little, a devout evangelical Christian, objected, arguing that the flag’s symbolism conflicted with his religious beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and family EMS1.
Request for Accommodation
Little sought a religious accommodation to be exempt from personally raising the flag or ordering subordinates to do so. According to his lawsuit, the county initially approved this request but revoked it just two days later Yahoo+1. He then removed several Pride flags from lifeguard stations, citing the accommodation and noting that some towers lacked the required flagpoles under county regulations Fox News+1.
Disciplinary Action
The county investigated, citing policy violations for removing government-issued flags without authorization. Little was suspended for 15 days without pay Yahoo+1. His attorney, Paul Jonna of the Thomas More Society, claims Little believed he was acting within the accommodation and that some stations were exempt due to hardware limitations Fox News+1.
Legal Dispute
Little sued LA County and several supervisors in 2024, alleging retaliation and religious discrimination. He argues the county’s reversal and discipline were retaliatory, while county officials maintain the punishment was for policy violations, not his faith Yahoo+1. The case has moved toward trial after a federal judge issued a mixed ruling on competing motions Yahoo.
Broader Context
The lawsuit draws on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Groff v. DeJoy decision, which held that public employers must grant modest religious accommodations unless there’s an undue hardship. Little’s attorneys argue the county’s records show no such hardship, and that the accommodation would be “barely a rounding error” in the county’s budget Thomas More Society.
Current Status
As of May 2026, the case is in federal court, with both sides’ motions having been partially granted, and trial is imminent Yahoo+1. The outcome could set a precedent for religious accommodation in public employment, especially in the context of LGBTQ+ visibility policies.




