Worcester city councilor takes break from office citing transphobia and toxic politics

WORCESTER — Thu Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee who became the first openly nonbinary person elected to office in Massachusetts in 2022, has announced a hiatus from their duties as Worcester city councilor, after alleging transphobia and a “discriminatory and toxic council culture.”

Nguyen detailed instances of being misgendered publicly by Worcester’s mayor, Joe Petty, and councilor, Kate Toomey, in a recent Instagram post. They also claimed that another councilor, Candy Mero-Carlson, repeatedly referred to them using the pronoun “it.”

In response to these incidents, Nguyen has requested the City of Worcester’s Chief Equity Officer to “open an immediate investigation and create an action plan to address this matter,” emphasizing the necessity for a legislative body to uphold anti-discrimination laws and serve the community respectfully.

Mayor Petty addressed the allegations in a statement, noting a moment from a 2022 City Council meeting where he mistakenly used an incorrect pronoun for Nguyen. He stated that he corrected himself and apologized once the error was pointed out, reaffirming his commitment to respecting individual identities and fostering an inclusive city environment.

“Once brought to my attention, I quickly corrected the mistake and apologized. I am committed to ensuring my language reflects that respect at all times,” Mayor Petty said. “I have always taken pride in leading a city that values diversity and inclusion. I remain steadfast in my commitment to creating a city where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected.”

In a Twitter post, Councilor Toomey acknowledged making an “honest error” in addressing Nguyen early in their term and expressed regret for any unintentional misgendering that occurred.

“With regard to Councilor Ngyuen’s statement, early on when the Councilor was elected, I did make an honest error in addressing the councilor and may have done so a few times, for which I apologized,” Councilor Toomey said. Adding, “There has never been any intentional or consistent misgendering.”

Councilor Mero-Carlson, whom Nguyen referred to in their statement, defended her record on LGBTQ+ policies in a statement where she said Nguyen’s accusations were misrepresentations of her character and values.

Mayor Petty attributed Nguyen’s complaints to recent changes requiring in-person attendance at City Council and subcommittee meetings. He noted that Nguyen missed half of the traffic and parking subcommittee meetings and failed to convene any meetings for the public service and transportation subcommittee, which they chair.

“Failing to participate in these essential responsibilities is unacceptable,” Petty said. “I will not apologize for holding myself and my colleagues accountable to the responsibilities entrusted to us by the people we serve.”