The manager, speaking anonymously, said her decision to transition from a man to a woman last year was supported by her supervisors, including Mayor Mike Duggan. But after coming back to work following her surgery, the manager said she found scrawled on her door “Mr.” over her name.
On another occasion she opened a package left on her desk that she thought was a Christmas gift. But when she opened it, she discovered it was “a sex toy and a note that had a bible scripture written on it,” the woman said. The scripture said it was an abomination for a man to dress like a woman.
“You were born a man, no make-up or weave will change that,” the note read. “Even getting rid of your penis won’t. Stop shaming yourself. We don’t want people like you working here.”
Human resources and the manager’s supervisors denied her request to install a lock on her door and to put up cameras, she said. After filing a complaint with police, she said they deferred the matter to the city’s human resources department. The city did eventually agree to the woman’s request for a lock and cameras.
The city’s corporation counsel, Butch Hollowell, said in a statement that “we believe the steps we have taken, particularly installation of surveillance cameras, are appropriate to address this matter.” “We take allegations like this very seriously and will take further action if necessary,” he said.