In a recent development in San Diego, a local pastor has initiated legal proceedings against the city's Mayor, Todd Gloria.
The pastor alleges that the Mayor unjustly demanded his removal from the San Diego Citizens Advisory Board on Police/Community Relations due to his religious beliefs. The pastor, Dennis Hodges, is a representative of the Church of Yeshua Ha Mashiach and has been a member of the commission since 2017.
The controversy arose when Hodges abstained from a vote condemning "transphobia." Following this, his fellow commissioners requested his departure, which eventually led to Gloria vetoing Hodges's reappointment. The Washington Stand reported that the lawsuit accuses the Mayor of "unlawful discrimination and retaliation against Mr. Dennis Hodges, a devoted Christian pastor and public servant."
The lawsuit further alleges that Gloria, influenced by several of Hodges's fellow commissioners, discriminated and retaliated against Hodges for his religious beliefs concerning gender identity and transgenderism. In November 2021, the commission voted on a letter from the city of San Diego Human Relations Commissioner Tootie Thomas, which aimed to end discrimination and transphobia by amplifying the visibility and voices of the transgender community.
The letter sought to publicize the local government's plan to combat "transphobia," a term used to describe the fear or hatred of transgender ideology. Hodges abstained from the vote, stating, "I love all people. I love transgenders as well. But to me, it's an abomination to the eyes of God, so I don't agree with it."
The lawsuit claims that other commissioners immediately began a campaign to ostracize Hodges for his traditional religious beliefs regarding the biological nature of men and women. Although this attempt was unsuccessful, Gloria vetoed Hodges's reappointment, citing the pastor's "repeated concerning public comments about LGBTQ people."
The complaint now accuses Gloria of basing his decision against Hodges solely on his beliefs about human creation and transgenderism, issues unrelated to his role on the Advisory Board.
Hodges, through his lawyers at Advocates for Faith and Freedom, stated, "I am standing up for religious people nationwide who have been discriminated against solely because of their faith. What happened to me at the hands of our government should never happen to anyone else."
The lawsuit seeks damages and reinstatement for Hodges. Julianne Fleischer, a lawyer involved in the case, told the Stand, "No government authority should be able to wield their authority to attack other public servants for holding traditional, biblical values."
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