A Louisiana pastor, Luke Ash, has accused the East Baton Rouge Parish Library of firing him after he refused to use a transgender colleague’s preferred pronouns. The incident has led to a growing controversy in the local Christian community as leaders demand that the library review its inclusive policies. Ash, who is the lead pastor of Stevendale Baptist Church in Baton, stated that he was terminated on July 10 after declining to use the preferred pronouns for a new staff member who identified as a biological female but preferred male pronouns.
The library’s inclusivity policy, which states that all employees should be welcomed, accepted, and respected, requires staff to be addressed by their chosen name and pronouns. However, Ash claimed that he could not comply with this policy due to his religious convictions, stating that he could not ‘lie’ in his profession. According to a report from WBRZ, the library presented him with a copy of this policy, and he was informed of his termination a few days after refusing to use the preferred pronouns.
At a recent library meeting, a group of local pastors confronted the Baton Rouge library board and called for Ash’s immediate reinstatement. Pastor Lewis Richerson spoke at the meeting, but was repeatedly interrupted by board members who asserted that his comments were not on the meeting agenda, thus violating Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law. Board president Candace Temple confronted Richerson, asking if they needed security because he was not following open meeting laws. Richerson, however, defended his comments to WAFB, stating that the group’s demands pertained to the library budget.
Over 30 pastors also signed a letter to the library board on July 17, urging the board to reconsider its policies and ‘correct this injustice.’ The East Baton Rouge Parish Library has not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. This incident highlights the growing debate on religious freedoms and gender identity in the workplace, with local Christian leaders expressing concern over the library’s inclusive policies and the impact on its employees.