Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty is defending his conduct following accusations of misgendering and creating a toxic work culture from Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen.

First lady Jill Biden expressed her disappointment with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a new interview with The Washington Post, providing rare public comments about the fractured relationship between her husband, Joe Biden, and Pelosi following the president’s departure from the 2024 race.

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.

In response to claims of misgendering Worcester Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen, Worcester City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson said they have "[distorted] the narrative and [weaponized] these accusations for political purposes.

Nguyen, the first nonbinary person elected to public office in the state, will take a month off "to prioritize (their) mental and emotional safety." The post Nonbinary Worcester City Councilor takes leave of absence,

Worcester City Councilor At-Large Thu Nguyen, the first openly nonbinary elected official in Massachusetts, is taking one month to step away from "toxic council culture."

Worcester City Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen announced Wednesday they would be taking a hiatus from the council, citing transphobia and a toxic culture. Nguyen, who is the council’s first non-binary and Southeast Asian-American member,