On July 4, Zach Hupp, a lifeguard on Carolina Beach, NC, flew a rainbow flag from his post. Hupp says someone immediately complained to another lifeguard, concerned "that they thought because I was flying that flag that I would only rescue gay people," and someone else posted on the town's Facebook page that she "didn't know how to explain this one to the tourists who asked us about it."
Hupp received a formal warning, and the town officials made a new policy that only flags authorized by the town or the US Lifesaving Association can be displayed on the lifeguard stands.
According to Hupp, he didn't mean to cause such a big deal. His goal was just to make "everyone would feel welcome to come down to the beach."
