A transgender person was rejected for a lifeguard gig with the City of Jacksonville last week for going topless during tryouts in front of dozens of children, city officials 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,” Mayor Lenny Curry said in a statement.
The unnamed applicant — a biological female who now identifies as male — was vying for a position with twenty other trainees as young as 15 at the Cecil Aquatic Center.
The person’s top was removed during a training exercise as dozens of children and their parents who sharing the pool looked on in shock, a source told The Post.
Jacksonville officials received numerous complaints about the incident, prompting the response from city officials.
Curry, a Republican, said the person was rejected for the job because of the incident — and that parents should not have to be “caught in the crossfire of battles over wokeism.”
“I see no reason for our lifeguards to be forced to make changes to existing rules mandating that biological females cover their chests,” Curry said in a statement. “Our parks and public pools are meant to be a place where families can feel safe to enjoy themselves.”
But a local transgender activist told ActionJax the applicant should have been allowed to vie for a spot according to his chosen gender despite not having “top” surgery to remove their breasts yet.
“This individual here 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,” Cielo Sunsarae said.
“Kids don’t sexualize breasts, it’s the adults that are making it out bigger than what it is. What is the difference if the person had top surgery or not?”
Sunsarae said the rejection showed a lack of respect for the rights of transgender people.
“No matter how much you don’t agree with someone’s ideals, just respect them,” he said.
Florida has become a battleground for transgender issues, with Gov. Ron DeSantis initiating several pieces of legislation related to the intensifying culture war front.
The Florida state legislature passed a “bathroom bill” this week which bars transgender people from using public restrooms that don’t align with their birth sex.
The measure will now head to DeSantis’ desk for final approval.
The Republican governor, considered a likely 2024 presidential candidate, also introduced a bill that banned instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in kindergarten through the fourth grade.
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