On Wednesday, January 15, Worcester City Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen released a statement announcing a month-long hiatus to “preserve their mental and emotional safety.” Nguyen, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, cited instances of transphobia in the city council, including being misgendered by Mayor Joseph Petty and Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey, being referred to as “it” by District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. As well as being pressured to attend council meetings in-person instead of remotely despite stating they felt unsafe on the Council floor.
Nguyen will be given a monthly stipend of $2,641 during their leave of absence, the rate given to all Councilors regardless of their standing or tenure.
The child of a Vietnamese refugee, Nguyen and their family sought asylum in Worcester and grew up in poverty while attending Worcester public schools. Nguyen graduated from Clark in 2014 with a bachelor’s in Studio Art and Sociology before giving back to their community in the nonprofit sector. Elected in 2021, Nguyen made history as the first South Asian on Worcester City Council and the first-ever non-binary person elected to any position in the State of Massachusetts.
In their statement, Nguyen pointed out the growing threat to the LGBTQ+ community under the Trump administration and the increase in hate speech and violence toward LGBTQ+ people. “Now is a vulnerable time of crisis for the LGBTQ+ community,” they wrote.
Recently, conservative outlets including Fox News and @LibsofTikTok have picked up the story, harassing Nguyen nationally on social media and giving them heaps of transphobic emails and phone calls.
Petty and Toomey have apologized for misgendering Nguyen, which they both claim was accidental, while Mero-Carlson has stated she does not remember referring to Nguyen that way. “It is deeply troubling that Councilor Nguyen has chosen to distort the narrative and weaponize these accusations for political purposes, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue that serves the best interests of Worcester’s residents,” Mero-Carlson stated.
Mayor Petty also released a statement regarding Nguyen’s remote attendance (the catalyst for their leave of absence), where he expressed that “being available, accessible, and engaged is a fundamental expectation of our roles, and it is critical to the success of the city.”
Petty also reiterated that he “remains committed to fostering an inclusive and secure environment for all members of [the] council.”
During the City Council’s meeting on Monday, January 21, members of the Worcester LGBTQ+ community crowded the chambers and spoke for almost two hours berating Councilmembers for their silence. Many expressed fears over Trump’s federal policy of two genders and voiced concerns their local leaders had failed to protect them. Afterward, the Council voted to condemn the use of the slur “it” against Nguyen and issue a public apology for the harm brought upon them locally and nationally.
The Tuesday, January 28 Council meeting received a similar spectacle when queer Worcesterites asked for the apology, which has still not been released. City Council voted to create a coalition of queer organizations who would make an action plan to combat transphobia, and to donate $500,000 annually to a “Queer and Trans Resilience Fund.”
Nguyen said they filed a complaint to the Worcester Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion regarding the toxic and discriminatory council culture over the last 3 years. However, City Manager Eric Batista later sent an email saying “the administration does not have the authority to investigate complaints between elected officials.” Since councilors are technically not city employees, there is no precedent or pathway for how an investigation would be conducted. As of the time of writing, the investigative process is at a standstill with much confusion in the city council.
“I wish I can say I was surprised, except what you are seeing publicly in their response is how they treat my humanity,” Nguyen wrote in an Instagram post.
This is an ongoing story. The Scarlet will continue to post updates as it develops.
