61-Year Old Lifeguard Sues State After Being Fired for Refusing to Wear Speedo
- Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:37am by
Tiffany Gabbay
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The dreaded Speedo swimsuit that many men find objectionable is actually causing some major problems for one 61-year old lifeguard in Long Island’s Jones Beach, who is suing the state after being fired for refusing to wear the curve-hugging swimwear.
After some four decades as a lifeguard, Roy Lester was fired from the job in 2007 after he refused to squeeze into the skimpy bathing attire for the annual swim test.
The 61-year-old obviously thought the look undignified for men of a certain age, and preferred wearing a pair of biking shorts. For this, Lester lost his job.
But now, citing age discrimination, Lester has sued the state. He is arguing that the Speedo is intended for men who possess a more athletic physique than it is for aging grandfathers.
The New York Daily News reports:
“I wore a Speedo when I was in my 20s,” Lester said.” But come on. There should be a law prohibiting anyone over the age of 50 from wearing a Speedo.”
Lester’s swimsuit suit against the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation was dismissed on technical grounds in 2008. So was another suit Lester filed in 2009.
Last week, in a setback to the state attorney general, an appeals court reinstated his claim. Lester’s case could go to trial this year or next in Nassau County.
Lester believes the Speedo edict was an attempt to rid Jones Beach of its aging lifeguards. The former lifeguard union head estimates that more than 80% of Jones Beach lifeguards are older than 40.
“This was not right,” said Lester, a bankruptcy lawyer who is representing himself in the age discrimination claim. “They were just trying to get rid of the older guys. To me the whole key to being a good lifeguard is experience. An older guy sees a save before anyone else. You know the water.”
But this is apparently not the first time Lester has had a run-in with his supervisors before. According to the Daily News, in a union newsletter, Lester accused officials of disciplining Jewish lifeguards more than non-Jewish ones.
Meanwhile, the state’s rule is that lifeguard candidates must wear “boxer, briefs or board shorts” while participating in a 100-yard swim test that must be completed in 75 seconds:
“I could have passed that test in dungarees,” said Lester, an accomplished triathlete who last week finished at the top of his age group in a lifeguarding competition held in Cape May, N.J.
Fellow lifeguards sporting biker shorts to their annual test relented and donned the Speedo, Lester says.
For now, the father of three has settled for working as a lifeguard at the private Atlantic Beach near his Long Beach home. Three days a week, he and others do an hourlong open-water swim off Neptune Beach.
“At a certain point you have to stand up and say this isn’t right,” Lester says. “I sat in a lifeguard chair for 40 years and I loved it. To me, to back down would have made me a hypocrite.
Should Lester have caved in and just donned the skimpy Speedo? After all, those with a far less becoming physique have done so before, and shamelessly.
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Comments (45)
TheCalvinistPastor
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:23amSounds to me like there is more to the story then him just not wearing a speedo.
Report Post »Just a side note, he is in pretty good shape for that age. I hope I can look the same when I get to 60! lol Kudos to him
oneshiner
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:27pmHey, he looks pretty good to me at 61, but I digress, speedo’s are ugly on anyone. I’d refuse too.
Report Post »Looks more like trolling than speed-o! Why must everyone show their private parts, even covered?
El Paco
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:56pmThis is strange for me… I swam competitively for 15+ years rocking speedos every step of the way. What the guy’s wearing in the camera shot are called “Jammers”. They’re a knee-length racing suit which is now the “longest” suit a racer can wear in competitions ever since the “Body Suit” ban that FINA enforced after the World Championships that happened two years ago.
Why couldn’t the dude wear the jammers?? That just baffles me since they’re the same thing as speedos, just cover a bit more.
Report Post »Shiroi Raion
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:27amI agree. Speedos are NASTY!
Report Post »A friend of mine wanted to go to a beach with me. I was ready to go until he said he was going to wear Speedos. I said, “Forget it. I‘m not going if you’re going to wear those things.”
moonchildiva
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:06amso his experience means nothing – it’s about CLOTHES???? he’d be better off working in the nude. he looks great anyway!! his ‘bosses’ need to THINK ABOUT THIS again.
Report Post »Some_Guy_Online
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:57amYeah, I remember my neighbor was in the throes of death fighting a sea demon. He managed to slay the beast but could not surface to the top to replenish his air … That’s when a lifeguard should up to his aid but as soon as my neighbor noticed he was not wearing the “State Approved” speedos he refused to be saved and met his demise.
Really, what does a drowning person care about speedos ?????
Report Post »pecosval
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:42amSpeedos should be outlawed for men!!! lol
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:30pmEspecially on really older men who think they have “God’s gift” to show off to all the women. YUK!
Report Post »These fat old men are to be laughed at/. Get the vision out of my mind.
JS Wrestling
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:59amThe gentleman is too old to be a lifeguard and should have been retired at the age of 45. This is a young man’s profession and he needed to grow up and accept the facts of life.
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:26amwho are you to decide, I’m glad he decided not to wear the speedo though…
Report Post »jkendal
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:59am“The gentleman is too old to be a lifeguard and should have been retired at the age of 45. This is a young man’s profession and he needed to grow up and accept the facts of life.”
Did you even read the article, moron? This guy could probably outswim you on his worst day.
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:31am“The gentleman is too old to be a lifeguard and should have been retired at the age of 45. This is a young man’s profession and he needed to grow up and accept the facts of life.”
“Did you even read the article, moron? This guy could probably outswim you on his worst day.”
Yeah… but there is no way he could beat JS at Cheeto eatin and Root Beer drinkin… and let’s not forget playin Warcraft and hidin from Mama in the basement… JS wins hands down at all of those.
Report Post »yooperjo
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:25pmAre you kidding me? He is in better shape than most of the under 50, fat, flabby men in this country!
Report Post »my6sons
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 2:02pmWhat a stupid thing to say!! If he can do the job who are you to say he’s to old. If you were drowning would you “card” him? I think not. Ever here of “DISCRIMINATION”?
Report Post »ukdiver
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:46amthis is a clear case of Americans hang up with appearance……i mean what the hell does it matter that you have speedos on at any age or shape. Americans have the least to say about this as they are the fattest in the world anyway…..if they were that bothered about body image they should lose the fat.
loosen up yanks……as for the bulge comment …..no one seems to worry about a womans breasts hanging out of a skimpy bikini……it sounds to me they are ashamed of what they have down there and want to keep it under cover.
Report Post »I_will_say_this_one_more_time
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:28amPut the SPEEDO on!! Congressman WEINER WANTS TO SEE YOUR STUFF!
Report Post »keaton
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:48amHe could do like some guys and wear a potato in the speedo. Remember to put it in the front!
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:13pmFunny! I’m sure some of these guys put a sox in it.
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:32amThey were just looking for an excuse to get rid of him.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:19ami would have showed up in a thong….It would make him faster in the water and probably sexually satisfy the sicko that fired him.
Report Post »DisgustedWithSociety
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:14amGOOD that he is sueing for the loss of employment — Not everyone looks good in a Speedo.. it is not the sex appeal .. it is however the matter of showing buldges where children don’t need to see — if they want to holler about the sex crimes –well here ya go !
Report Post »tomloy
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:45amIts nice to find a gentleman who doesn’t wear a speedo at that age. And an example of the stupidity of requiring a speedo. You’re not going to swin a second slower in bicycle shorts! Its going to cost them a ton of money. Good luck getting re elected folks……
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:14amHot Dang don’t you know that wearing a Speedo i,s what saves lives not the persons ability, its the look that counts……. Yep, how dam sad
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:24amYea, gotta look good, ya know. I personally hate speedos. Let’s face it, men are hairy and who wants to see all that hair hanging out? I don’t think speedos are appropriate for 20 year olds. biker shorts look pretty good on him.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:10amSpeedo? Hmm..for some of us it would be like putting 5 lbs of “blank”, in a 3 lb. bag.
Report Post »iwalkalone
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:47amI thought this was going to be about Notch Johnson, worlds most famous lifeguard that suffers from IPS. I thought that might be the problem here.
Report Post »brian8793
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 4:25amI’d wear a speedo if I could be a California lifegaurd. I wouldn’t mind getting paid to smoke my medicine and look at some of the most beautiful women in the world and their mothers.haha
Report Post »I SPY
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:35amCalifornia so liberal, it’s comedy. LOL, you people are such losers, my lamfia laugh every night.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:07amI‘m glad that he’s suing. Why is it some kind of crime to get older? Most everyone grows older, if nothing ends your life prematurity. He looks to be in good shape for his age. Why should he be forced to wear a speedo?
Report Post »Mikepal
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:58amHe had the option of board shorts for the qualifying exam so he’s done this just so he could sue. Plus it does not seem to be an every day requirement, but only for the test. Waste of taxpayer money for the court costs.
Report Post »ConservativeHitman
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:29amway to go it is ridiculous that he can’t wear what shorts he wants too wear and he is also right no won wants to see a 60 + year old man running around in a speedo I think he has a good shot at this he is a lawyer so that helps.
Report Post »johnj1952
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:19amIm 59 and dont look a tenth as good as this guy, put me in a speedo and no body would go near the water. So what if he is wearing what I see in the picture his job is to save LIVES, not make a fashion statement. This is age discrimnation plane and simple, fight for your rights everybody else does, and I hope you drag em over the coals.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:29amHe has a case. There is nothing unsafe about what he was wearing.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:16amIt is nice to know some men are still modest about their appearance.
Report Post »oldanbo
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:59amI’m 63 and he looks better than me in his speedo. My wife calls Orca,Orca when I put mine on. Not really, I don’t have one much less put one on. I give him my vote, reality and gravity will get us all sooner or later.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:12amIts not the speedo he nees, its the sports bra.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:45amHe’s still in good shape. Stuff a few squids in that speedo and you’ll look great gramps.
Report Post »Cold War Vet
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:42amThis is so incredibly stupid. Chalk up another freedom of choice lost to liberal progressives.
The horrors of the liberal mind…
Report Post »piper60
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:42amThey just wanted to get rid of him. This is an analogy to the OLD 60′s mantra:”Don’t trust anyone over 30″. What a bunch of idiots for firing this guy.
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