A Worcester city councilor stands by accusations that other officials have misgendered them publicly and that the City Council fosters a "toxic environment."

Nguyen, who made history when they became the first openly nonbinary person to hold office in Massachusetts, is taking a hiatus from their role as a Worcester city councilor to prioritize their mental health,

In a statement released Wednesday morning, Nguyen made reference to allegations they had been misgendered by Mayor Joseph M. Petty and Councilor At-Large Kathleen Toomey on the council floor. They also mentioned "recently learning" that they had been called "it" by another councilor, District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson.