In a videotaped and social media-shared incident, transgender actress Tommy Dorfman, who is best known for her role in the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” has accused Delta Air Lines employees of deliberately misgendering her. The video, which went viral almost immediately, was captured on Christmas Eve at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.
Dorfman is observed interacting with a Delta employee at the departure gate in the TikTok video. The employee appears to have misgender Dorfman during the exchange, addressing her as “he” prior to receiving an apology. Dorfman challenges the employee, remarking, “You have once more misgendered me.” The employee replies, “While not deliberately intended, it is also acceptable if you choose to interpret it as personal.”
Dorfman subsequently asserts that two times on purpose, another employee misgendered her gender. Dorfman is confronted by a Delta employee who threatens to have the Port Authority remove her from the building if her disruptive behavior persists. This escalates the situation.
Dorfman vented her discontent in a TikTok caption, where she claimed she failed to “realize it was condescending to report a human rights violation after another employee persistently misgendered me.” Dorfman, who self-identified as a trans woman and employed the pronouns she/her in 2021, perceived this exchange as a violation of her rights.
Delta Air Lines stated in response to the incident that they are cognizant of the video and are conducting an investigation into the situation. They also suggested contacting Dorfman for further clarification regarding the incident.
The occurrence has initiated dialogues regarding the manner in which transgender people are treated and the significance of upholding gender identity, particularly in interactions involving customer service. Both the video and Dorfman’s response underscore the persistent obstacles that transgender individuals encounter in their daily lives.