Contract Guard Lays Down Law on Lesbian Shirts

The use of contract security guards at federal buildings has raised all kinds of issues in recent years. But here's a new one.

When Lapriss Gilbert went to the Social Security office in Van Nuys, Calif., Monday, she was quickly ordered to leave the premises. The problem? A contract security guard didn't like the t-shirt she was wearing, which advertised the Web site lesbian.com.

The guard, who worked for a contractor hired by the Homeland Security Department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau, told Gilbert that the government's official Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property gave him the authority to deny her entry for wearing the shirt.

That's not a position endorsed by DHS. Lori Haley, an ICE spokeswoman, told the Los Angeles Daily News the guard was wrong. "We believe that the actions of the contract security guard were inappropriate and unacceptable. We have notified his company, Paragon, of our position in the matter," she said.

(Hat tip: BoingBoing)