Tommy Dorfman has accused Delta Airlines employees of committing a “human rights violation” after claiming they intentionally misgendered her “incessantly” at an airport.
The 31-year-old 13 Reasons Why star, who reintroduced herself as a trans woman in 2021, posted a video of the confrontation on TikTok on 24 December, alongside the caption: “When you try to advocate for yourself at @delta and are met woth [sic] even more transphobia and threats of being arrested at La Guardia.
“Tristan, the employee, said he was fine with me posting this. Didn’t realise it was condescending to flag a human rights violation after another employee misgendered me incessantly.”
In the since-deleted clip, an airline attendant is seen standing in front of a boarding gate, while Dorfman can be heard saying: “And what about when a Delta employee misgenders you intentionally?”
The attendant then responds to another person off-camera, informing them that while Dorfman is talking, “you’re talking over him”.
“You just misgendered me again, multiple times, both of you have,” Dorfman points out.
“It wasn’t intentional, but if you want to take it personal[ly] that’s also okay,” the employee replies, before telling Dorfman that she’s “being condescending and if you want to continue, I have port authority to escort you out of this building right this moment if you want to play that game with me”.
“Would you like to continue three days before Christmas? I really don’t mind,” the employee adds. “I’m good. I’ll just put this on,” Dorfman answers.
The airline is “aware of the video and looking into the matter, including reaching out to our customer to understand more about what occurred”, a Delta spokesperson told The Independent in a statement.
Dorfman, best known for her role as Ryan Shaver in Netflix’s hit drama 13 Reasons Why, announced that she was transgender in a 2021 interview with Time.
“We’re talking today to discuss my gender. For a year now, I have been privately identifying and living as a woman – a trans woman,” Dorfman told journalist Torrey Peters at the time.
When asked by Peters, “Would you say that you are coming out?”, Dorfman replied: “It’s funny to think about coming out, because I haven’t gone anywhere. I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically.
“Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman. My pronouns are she/her. My name is Tommy.”
