A transgender man was rejected for a job as lifeguard in Florida after their breasts were allegedly exposed in front of children at an aquatic center.
City of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry revealed that officials took action after the unnamed applicant was seen topless during a try-out for the position at Cecil Aquatic Center in the city.
Mayor Curry said the biological female involved in the incident now identifies as male but has not had surgery to remove their breasts.
Reports say that he acted after complaints from horrified parents of children who saw the incident during a training exercise in a pool shared with dozens of children.
Curry said: “Through a citizen expressing concerns, my administration became aware of an incident where a biological female trainee in a lifeguard program was topless at one of our public pools.
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“I see no reason for our lifeguards to be forced to make changes to existing rules mandating that biological females cover their chests. Our parks and public pools are meant to be a place where families can feel safe to enjoy themselves.”
The New York Post reported Curry, a Republican, as saying that parents should not be “caught in the crossfire of battles over wokeism”.
Cielo Sunsarae, a local transgender activist, told ActionJax that the applicant should have been allowed to vie for a spot according to their chosen gender.
“This individual was coming for a position to protect the children and people at the pool, they came here for one person and were denied for another reason completely not related to it,” Sunsarae said.
“Kids don’t sexualize breasts, it’s the adults that are making it out bigger than what it is.”
Sunsarae said the rejection showed a lack of respect for the rights of transgender people.
Florida has been at the forefront of the fight over transgender issues.
Governor Ron DeSantis recently introduced a bill that banned instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in kindergarten through the fourth grade.
He is also considering giving final approval to a “bathroom bill” which bars transgender people from using public restrooms that do not align with their birth sex.
