**Transgender Bus Driver Attacked in Locker Room: MTA Worker Charged with Hate Crime**
A New York MTA employee was charged with a hate crime and assault after reportedly confronting and attacking a transgender bus driver in a women’s locker room. The incident has sparked demands for better accommodations and education for transgender employees within the organization.
Nana Mangual, a biological male identifying as a woman, accused fellow bus operator Sonia Rivera of initiating a verbal and physical altercation in the women’s locker room at a Bronx bus depot. Rivera allegedly attacked Mangual after the bus driver left the shower while playing loud music, shouting obscenities and insisting Mangual should use the men’s room instead. As Mangual began recording the incident, Rivera reportedly slapped the phone out of Mangual’s hand and subsequently struck Mangual in the face.
The altercation, which took place two months ago, left Mangual unable to return to work and struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Additionally, the bus driver has faced difficulties securing workers’ compensation and has now called on the MTA for assistance in medical leave claims. In an effort to enhance the work environment for transgender employees, Mangual has urged the MTA to provide improved accommodations and enforce LGBT+ education training for their staff members.
Working for MTA has been a “nerve-racking” experience for Mangual, who claims to have faced discrimination and been frequently misgendered. Following the incident, Rivera was arrested and charged with harassment, harassment as a hate crime, and assault. The case’s status in criminal
