Call it a case of "thong discrimination."
As The Courthouse News Service is reporting, a gay man arrested after he paired thong underwear with a kilt at San Diego's Pride celebration is suing in federal court as he believes the arrest "violates his rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."
According to reports, Will X. Walters attended the 2011 San Diego Gay Pride celebration "in leather gear consisting of boots, a black leather gladiator kilt, black underwear, and a black leather harness with chrome rings." Though Walters says that he "was readily admitted into the 2011 event by San Diego Pride personnel and that his outfit 'passed muster' with Pride personnel at the admission gate," he said he was "forcibly escorted" out of the event by officers, even though "his underwear and kilt completely covered his genitals, pubic hair, buttocks, perineum, anus or anal region."
After refusing to sign a citation, Walters was handcuffed, arrested and driven to jail. The defendants named in the case include the city of San Diego, as well as several police officers, a security guard and a John Doe, according to Chicago Go Pride. Local officials have so far declined to comment, according to reports.
The complaint also alleges that county sheriff deputies "encouraged the incoming inmates to ridicule Mr. Walters, who was wearing only his kilt and underwear," while offering Walters no additional clothing or a blanket, as well as no food or drink during his 12 hours in jail.