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Transsexual trucker is 'hounded out' for wearing make-up
Last updated at 07:52am on 23.07.07
Woman's world: Mr Gaynor as Vikki-Marie
Vikki-Marie Gaynor, 37, who was born a man, claims bosses started cancelling his shifts when he dropped his old name, Mike, and started wearing women's clothes, earrings and make-up to work.
The former soldier, who has been married twice and has a teenage daughter, was taunted by other drivers who made rude gestures towards him, it is alleged.
Now Mr Gaynor has launched a sexual discrimination claim against the haulage firm and the recruitment agency which employed him. He could receive a five-figure sum if the employment tribunal finds in his favour.
'I have been treated in an horrendous manner by my employers,' Mr Gaynor said last night.
'When I first started I was a respected driver, I turned up for work on time and did my job very professionally. My bosses knew me as Mike and had no idea I was a transsexual.
'But almost as soon as I told them I was changing my name to Vikki-Marie and entering the transition stage of my gender reassignment things changed. I started getting hurtful comments and my shifts started being cancelled without warning.
'In the end I realised I could no longer go into work, it was too painful.
'It is not right that I should be forced out of my job simply because I want to live as a woman and wear the clothes I was born to wear.'
Mr Gaynor landed a £20,000-a-year job with Exel Europe - an offshoot of parcel delivery giant DHL - through the Blue Arrow recruitment agency last October.
Although he had been dressing as a woman in secret for almost 20 years, he had not gone public and was known as Mike Gaynor.
However, in February Mr Gaynor, who obtained his HGV licence with the Royal Corps of Transport as a teenager, decided to start living as a woman full-time.
Although surprised, his boss was initially supportive of Mr Gaynor's decision, which involved changing his name and wearing women's T-shirts, earrings and make-up to work.
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Man's world: Mike Gaynor in 1997
But within weeks, Mr Gaynor claims, he started suffering problems at the depot in Kirkby, Merseyside. His regular shift started being cancelled and he noticed a change in the way he was treated by other members of staff.
Mr Gaynor, from Wallasey, Wirral, also claims his belongings and makeup were removed from his lorry and dumped in a disabled lavatory. He added: 'Other drivers, who I'd previously got on well with, started ignoring me.
'I began to notice people talking about me and on one occasion a driver backed away from me while covering his backside and muttering under his breath.
'Another time a colleague made an obscene gesture as we pulled up to a set of traffic lights together.
'I found it very hurtful and realised I could no longer go back to work.'
Mr Gaynor resigned on March 12 and launched his claim for sexual discrimination. He is currently awaiting a date for his tribunal hearing.
He is currently undergoing counselling for his gender reassignment and is hoping to undergo a sex change operation on the Health Service.
Since losing his job he has been surviving on benefits while setting up a business offering employers and schools workshops and information on transsexuality.
A spokesman for DHL said: 'We have robust grievance processes in place to deal with any such allegations and they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
'Unfortunately, the employee was not satisfied with the outcome and this has resulted in a tribunal.'
Reader views (5)
Good luck Vicki-Marie, hope all goes well. Take care and Godbless.
- Jackie Jones, wirral
I find it sad that the only comments from readers so far have been derogatory. Vicki-Marie is only at the start of her transition and I would suspect has not been taking hormones for very long. In view of this it is very difficult for her to present a totally feminine appearance and yet I consider that she looks remarkable. Hardly a bloke in a skirt as stated by an earlier reader.
Transitioning is a life choice and one which Vicki-Marie feels she must take, it is not done on a whim. Neither is it something that could be resolved merely by wearing a kilt. There are many many women in her position in the UK and fortunately a lot of them receive the understanding they deserve although even then life is not easy for somebody taking such a brave decision as that of deciding to transition. I am sure the readers who have commented so far would probably not have the courage to undertake the journey that Vicki-Marie is starting.
I think it is a pity that she has found it necessary to pursue a financial claim against her employers but can understand why she does feel it must be done. Perhaps in time society will become totally accepting of women in her position although given the bigoted nature of so many in this country I suspect this is not likely to happen in her or my lifetime.
- Lucy Shepard, Lincolnshire
What the heck does it matter what the person looks like? Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Irrespective of what a persons gender was before hand once they take that step to transistion then they should be referred to in their new gender.
- Zenny, Rochester, Kent
That is terrible news, but sorry, mate, you still look like a bloke in a skirt! No amount of make-up or wigs will hide your broad shoulders and strong jawline. You could at least just wear a kilt or denim skirt if you really must.
I'm not surprised they are poking fun at you, as your colleagues all knew you as a man before for all that time.
It's still something hard for most people to get their heads around. I doubt they have 'Value & Diversity' strategies in your part of the world.
You would do well to get a job in Local Government as we make more allowances for people with these 'gender choices'. Haulage is generally seen as a male-dominated career. Perhaps Exel as an employer are also worried how their clients (the ones you deliver to) would feel about a man in a skirt climbing out of a 7.5 tonner with their parcel.
If you were a biological female there wouldn't be this problem. You might want to view it from their perspective before going down the compensation path.
- Jermaine Eldridge, London
Sorry, but I think this guy was 'hounded out' because he looks so funny. He doesn't look female, he just looks like a guy in drag. It's as difficult to accept someone dressed like this as it would be if he was wearing a panda suit.
Now where did I put my eyeliner and high heels?
- Andrew, Harrow, UK
