Birmingham Mayor
Sued for Discrimination

A gay rights group in Alabama is filing a lawsuit against the mayor of Birmingham for not allowing city workers to hang banners supporting Gay Pride Week. Central Alabama Pride Inc. filed the federal suit, claiming that Mayor Larry Langford's actions violated workers' First Amendment rights, according to the Birmingham News.

Some workers wanted to hang banners on city property, as other workers have done to promote football games and music festivals. However, individuals were denied use of city property to advertise for Birmingham's 20th annual gay pride parade on June 7. Langford said he turned down the request because it was inappropriate for the government to endorse a "lifestyle choice," according to the lawsuit. He then said he would not interfere with a permit request as long as he did not have to sign it. Birmingham police later issued the permit, and the Birmingham City Council passed a resolution supporting the event.

"The bottom line is, I don't condone the lifestyle and what they were asking me to do," Langford said in the article. "Proclamations are under my purview as mayor, so they're asking me for a personal endorsement." (The Advocate)