A trans Massachusetts city councilor is taking a one-month leave of absence, citing feelings of being unsafe after allegedly being "misgendered" by the mayor and another councilor, and being referred to as "it" by a third city official.
The soap opera starring that councilor, Thu Nguyen, erupted at Tuesday night's meeting of the Worcester, Massachusetts city council, where members held a public hearing over whether it was appropriate for council members like Nguyen to attend meetings remotely. Once again appearing remotely, Nguyen blamed the mayor and peers for the routine failure to show up in person, saying, "Under your leadership, I have felt unsafe around this council body. I have faced transphobia with being misgendered and recently learned that I have been dehumanized to a point where I'm being referred to as 'it' by my colleagues on this council."
Heralded as the "first openly nonbinary lawmaker" in Massachusetts history -- a title we're sure Paul Revere and Samuel Adams would be totally impressed with -- Nguyen has held office on the Worcester city council since 2022. Nguyen's preferred pronouns are "they/them."
The day after the hearing, Nguyen posted a statement saying "I am...sad to announce I will be taking a month to prioritize my mental and emotional safety," so he could recover from having allegedly been misgendered by Mayor Joseph M. Petty and Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey, and called "it" by Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. Nguyen filed a complaint with Worcester's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, urging the prompt launch of an investigation, adding that is was unfortunate to do so at the very same time that "we transition under a Trump administration and exponential increase of fear experienced by the LGBTQ+ community."
On Thursday, the city clerk confirmed that Nguyen will continue receiving a $2,641 monthly city stipend while providing nothing for Worcester other than melodrama.
On the defensive and careful to say the right things for liberal Massachusetts society, Petty said, "We are in a time of uncertainty, where members of the LGBTQIA+ community face real fears and challenges in simply being their authentic selves...I would never knowingly say anything harmful." He says Nguyen's accusation of misgendering goes all the way back to 2022 -- Nguyen's first year -- when the mayor forgot to use "they/them" before correcting himself and apologizing. Toomey said she's made a similar "honest mistake" during Nguyen's rookie year, saying "there's never, ever been any attempt on my side to misgender them."
Alleged "it" girl Mero-Carson issued a more assertive statement. "While I do not recall making the statements in question, I acknowledge that it was a challenging and emotional week where difficult conversations took place...It is deeply troubling that Councilor Nguyen has chosen to distort the narrative and weaponize these accusations for political purposes," noting that Nguyen has the "the lowest attendance record of any City Councilor."
As you might expect, Nguyen's council profile is loaded with woke leftist blather like this gem: "Invested in the notion of social justice, they [sic] commit their time and efforts in...navigating the intersectionality of identity, systems and openings for collective care and healing." Nguyen concludes by touting a trio of identity-politics point-makers: "They [sic] are proud queer, Vietnamese, nonbinary refugee."
Since announcing the month off from work, Nguyen has been active on Facebook, basking in support pouring in from "allies," such as LGBT group MassEquality, which condemned the "bullying" Nguyen has experienced. Nguyen is also wallowing in victimhood, posting the text of "hate emails" like this:
"Don't confuse my speaking the truth to you here with hate or some kind of phobia...Your petty, emotional, shrill, fake outrage about being misgendered is not helping you or trans people. It's what keeps you down....Taking a month off. LOL! Who wants to have to put up with childish, petulant temper tantrums like that? No one. No one wants to work with you now and even though you will scream 'transphobia' it won't be that. It will be idiot-phobia."