A non-binary, South Asian, city councilor for the city of Worcester, Mass. has decided to take a full month off over alleged misgendering from others on the council. Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen has claimed that “transphobia and a discriminatory and toxic culture” has forced Nguyen to leave their position and take a month’s leave. This came after a debate during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting that addressed “remote participation” by some of those on the council. Nguyen prefers to be referred to as “they/them.”
Nguyen has been attending meetings remotely and, per the Telegram & Gazette, “called the council ‘unsafe’ during a discussion regarding their frequent remote attendance.” The debate followed Mayor Joseph M. Petty’s filing of an order asking for a “public hearing to review the limitations and options of the remote participation of public officials.” Nguyen attended the Tuesday meeting discussing remote attendance remotely. In video, Nguyen can be seen wearing a keffiyeh, a scarf representing affiliation with the Palestinian cause against Israel.
Meet Thu Nguyen, a “nonbinary” city councilor from Worcester, MA. She just announced she’s taking a month off from work because she was misgendered.
I’m not kidding. This is real. pic.twitter.com/iMlfvBg3QR
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 16, 2025
Much of Nguyen’s Instagram is taken up with anti-Israel sentiment and videos of Nguyen speaking on the floor of the council show Nguyen advocating that Worcester “not do business as usual” while Israel and Hamas continue fighting in a conflict Nguyen called a “genocide.” In October 2024, Nguyen said, “Mr. Chairman, we cannot continue business as usual during a genocide of Palestinian folks and everyone in Gaza.” Nguyen also advocates for LGBTQ “liberation,” housing for the homeless, and drag queen events for kids.
A city councilor in Worcester, Massachusetts is taking a month-long leave after being misgendered
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 16, 2025
“It is unfortunate, as we transition under a Trump administration and exponential increase of fear experienced by the LGBTQ+ community that I, as a City Councilor At-Large of Worcester, had to file a complaint to our Executive Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion about my experience in the past 3 years of dealing with transphobia and a discriminatory and toxic council culture, being misgendered by Mayor Petty and Councilor At-Large Toomey publicly on the council floor and recently learning that District 2 Councilor Mero-Carlson has been referring to me as ‘it’ multiple times,” Nguyen said in a lengthy statement on Instagram. “I have formally requested for the City of Worcester’s Chief Equity Officer to open an immediate investigation and create an action plan to address this matter.
“These hateful acts are unbecoming of a legislative body whose duty is to serve our communities and to honor and enforce anti-discrimination laws,” Nguyen’s statement continued. “My filing of a complaint’s aim is to hold elected accountable to moral and legal standards during a vulnerable time of crisis for the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ folks are facing more physical threats, violence and hate all over the nation. The Trevor Project reported an overall volume increase of nearly 700% on Nov 6 after Trump’s election compared to the weeks prior. Many in our community are seeking to move to safer states, expressing worries for the possibility of gender affirming care and same-sex marriage being revoked and frightened to lose fundamental civil rights because of who we are. This is all in addition to the tragic reality of having anti-trans bills pushed throughout the nation in recent years and the mass shootings and murders targeting the LGBTQ+ community. […]
— Read More: thepostmillennial.com
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