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Andrew sparks national debate
A transgender cab driver who says she was sacked for her appearance has sparked a massive debate across Leyland.
Last week, the Guardian featured Andre Edwards, a pre-op transsexual, who claims she was fired from her job at Leyland Taxis for wearing bright nail polish and skirts to work.
Her employers dismissed the accusation saying she was fired for her 'bad attitude' but the story has since made national headlines sparking debate across the country.
In Leyland readers are divided with some people supporting the 50-year-old driver and others saying she deserved to be sacked.
Dave Webster, from B&D Print Services Lad, supports Andre but believes it is a long time before Leyland will be able to accept her as a woman.
He said: "I've known Andrew for a good few years and he never has been one to keep his opinions to himself. Having said that, though, I've never known him to be malicious, quite the opposite.
"I had a chance meeting with Andre a few weeks ago. While working for Leyland Taxis he picked up my daughter, who was very much the worse for alcohol. He noticed her struggling but had another passenger in the cab. After he had dropped his passenger off, he returned to my daughter and ensured she got home - even though she couldn't remember her new address. He stayed with her until he located our address.
"Andrew's a lovely bloke but I really struggle to see him being accepted as Andre round here."
Mum-of-two Victoria Porter, who moved to Leyland from Russia, said she relied on Andre to get around ina her new country.
She said: "I have known Andre for many months and she was always very helpful to me. I believed she was born a woman but my husband said she was a man - but it doesn't matter to us.
"All that matters is that she is a really helpful and caring person. That is what people should see, not how she looks.
"I use Leyland Taxis almost every day and Andre was the best driver I ever had."
However, not everyone spoke out in support.
A fellow taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said: "I know how it looks but the complaints were not made up or vindictive. It sounds like everyone was against him but it's not true. His attitude to customers was appalling."
Others, too, said it was right to sack Andre if she upset customers.
"The fact that she was born a man shouldn't bother people at all," one reader said. "I am all for giving people a chance but if she was acting rude to her customers then they were right to sack her. Its all about customer service."
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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