(Daily360.com) – In New York City where most things are no longer crimes and bail reform measures have made the streets more unsafe than perhaps ever before a long-time city employee is being charged with harassment, assault and harassment as a hate crime. That employee’s name is Sonia Rivera, a long-time MTA city bus driver. What did Ms. Rivera do to draw the wrath of a prosecutor’s office which seldom seems interested in arrests and prosecutions; she mis-gendered a transgender driver in the women’s locker-room. The incident was partially recorded on a cell phone two months ago by the trans driver a man who now identifies as a woman, named Nana Mangual. What can been seen is the tail end of what may have been an argument between the two drivers, Mangual enters a small area with a sink behind Rivera at which point Rivera turns around and knocks the phone from Mangual’s hand.
Mangual claims Rivera shouted at him after he showered to lower the loud music he was playing and to use the men’s locker room. The MTA released a statement stating in part that any violence or discrimination at the work place will not be tolerated. The statement further read that the MTA is taking Mangual’s allegations “very seriously” and are currently investigating the matter. Mangual, who was recently interviewed for New York’s television news WPIX 11 says he’s a victim of discrimination due to misgendering and is traumatized by being referred to as “he” because he believes he is female. He also takes issue with not seeing any other trans drivers working for the MTA but nonetheless has called for separate transgender restrooms to be made available by the MTA. Mangual says the incident with Rivera has left him with PTSD and unable to work, he has since filed a worker’s compensation claim.
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