ABOVE: Lynchburg, Va. Photo via Washington Blade.
The mayor, acting city manager, and the fire chief in Lynchburg, Va., have promised to look into concerns raised by LGBTQ activists that a Fire Department captain posted cartoons on his Facebook page portraying transgender people in a disparaging way.
One of the activists, transgender woman Onna McClennon, told the city officials at a meeting in February that the Facebook post by fire department Captain Martin Misjuns raised questions about whether she would receive the help she needed and treated fairly in an emergency by Fire Department first responders, according to Lynchburg’s WFXR-TV News.
McClennon participated in a meeting between the city officials and representatives of two Lynchburg LGBTQ groups to discuss the groups’ concern over the Facebook posting.
Michael Kittinger, board chair for one of the groups, Hill City Pride, told the Blade that Interim City Manager Reid Wodicka and Fire Chief Greg Wormser told the activists they would look into whether public statements made by any city employees that are considered by some to be improper and hurtful violate city personnel rules.
WFXR News reported that one of the cartoons posted by Misjuns “shows what appears to be a man with his pants around his ankles entering a woman’s restroom with a camera, claiming to be trans.”
Misjuns denounced the accusations against him in a lengthy statement he posted on a fundraising website called Give Send Go: Free Christian Crowdfunding. Among other things, he said his First Amendment free speech rights were under attack because of his opposition to a recent “executive order” banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Although he did not mention President Joe Biden by name, Misjuns appeared to be referring to Biden’s executive order in January strengthening existing nondiscrimination policies related to LBGBTQ people.
“I will not waiver on my stance to protect children, and little girls in particular, from having to share locker rooms with or competing in sports against biological males,” he said in his posting. “I believe that this is a direct assault on females and family values,” he stated.
He added that “these local activists” have also unsuccessfully attempted to have him investigated for domestic terrorism because he attended the Jan. 6 rally by supporters of President Trump at the Ellipse behind the White House before many of the rally attendees stormed the U.S. Capitol in a riot aimed at preventing Congress from certifying the presidential election.
“I never even came within 100 yards of an entrance to the Capitol Building and denounced the violence and destruction that occurred on that day,” he stated in his post.
Misjuns, who also serves as chair of Lynchburg’s Ward 1 Republican Committee, posted an online petition accusing Lynchburg Mayor Mary Jane Dolan of using her office to intimidate him for “publicly standing up for our women and children after I was harassed by a local RADICAL LGBTQ+ Activist Group with fruitless and unfounded attempts to have me ‘cancelled’ by the City of Lynchburg.”
He appeared to be responding to a statement by the mayor in an email message to Hill City Pride official Kittinger that was later published on the WFXR TV website.
“I was speechless when I saw what Mr. Misjuns posted,” Dolan wrote. “I am totally in agreement with you and do not support or will not tolerate this type of malicious rhetoric,” she told Kittinger in her email. “No question his comments are unconscionable, and City Leadership needs to take action.”
Kittinger said Acting City Manager Wodicka told the activists that city officials could not comment further on their investigation into the Facebook postings by Misjuns because such an inquiry is a personnel matter that must remain confidential under city law.
But Kittinger said the activists were pleased with a two-page statement that Wodicka released on March 15 expressing strong support on behalf of the Lynchburg government for the local LGBTQ community.
“I recognize that in Lynchburg, just like in many communities throughout our nation, many members of the LGBTQ+ community frequently experience bigotry, hatred, injustices and indignities that make them question their safety,” Wodicka wrote.
“Hate has no place in Lynchburg nor does ignorance, especially not for those of us who are privileged to serve the public in the many capacities necessary to build a proud and thriving city for all,” he stated. “To that end, let there be no mistake,” he added. “The City of Lynchburg and our wider community must let our actions demonstrate that we value, respect and appreciate the LGBTQ+ community.”
