Thu Nguyen, Massachusetts’ first openly non-binary elected politician, has taken a break from their duties as a Worcester City Council member, citing mental health concerns.

The decision comes after they were accused of laziness and asked to return to in-person meetings, a situation that has ignited a heated debate among local lawmakers.

Allegations of Misgendering by Fellow Council Members

Nguyen, who uses they/them pronouns, has accused certain members of the Worcester City Council of deliberately misgendering them.

In an Instagram post, they claimed that Mayor Joe Petty and Councilor At-Large Kathleen Toomey referred to them with incorrect pronouns and, in some cases, called them “it.”

Additionally, Nguyen alleged that Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson used the term “it” multiple times when referring to them.

Nguyen has been vocal about the emotional toll these incidents have taken on them, calling it an example of a “toxic political culture.”

They argued that such actions are unbecoming of a legislative body and undermine anti-discrimination laws.

Mayor Petty Responds to the Allegations

In response to Nguyen’s claims, Mayor Joe Petty suggested that the misgendering allegations were tied to a larger issue — Nguyen’s attendance record.

According to Petty, the accusations came to light after the city council decided to mandate in-person attendance for meetings.

Petty also pointed out that Nguyen had missed half of the meetings for the traffic and parking subcommittee and had not held a single meeting for the transportation subcommittee they chair.

Petty emphasized that it was unacceptable for any member of the council to fail in their essential responsibilities, regardless of the circumstances.

“I will not apologize for holding myself and my colleagues accountable to the responsibilities entrusted to us by the people we serve,” Petty said.

Nguyen Defends Their Attendance Record

Nguyen fired back, stating that their remote attendance was directly linked to the transphobia they experienced from some of their colleagues.

They asserted that their treatment by fellow council members has made it difficult to participate fully in council activities.

Nguyen, however, maintained that they have always tried to treat every councilor with respect and dignity, and that their low attendance should not be seen as an excuse, but rather as a consequence of the discrimination they’ve faced.

Apologies and Clarifications from Council Members

Both Mayor Petty and Councilor Toomey have offered apologies for their mistakes.

Petty acknowledged that he had misgendered Nguyen during a meeting in 2022 but assured that he had quickly corrected the mistake and apologized.

Toomey, who admitted to occasionally misgendering Nguyen early in their term, stressed that it was unintentional and apologized for any hurt caused.

Councilor Mero-Carlson, on the other hand, denied the allegations and said that they misrepresented her character and values.

She also pointed out that Nguyen had the lowest attendance record of any City Councilor and accused them of using the situation for political gain.

This situation continues to spark discussion about how non-binary individuals are treated in politics and the challenges of navigating identity and representation in public office.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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