Source: Daniel Zuchnik / Getty
Actress Rosario Dawson has been accused of some serious claims that risk spilling over into her boyfriend’s presidential run.
According to NBC News, Dawson — who’s dating Democratic presidential candidate and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker — and her family are being accused of a transphobic attack and transphobic harassment.
Dedrek Finley, a transgender man, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles court against Dawson and her family on Friday claiming that they violated his civil rights by discriminating against him because of his transgender status. The suit seeks damages for this along with assault, battery, emotional distress and various other allegations.
The suit says that Finley, 55, moved from Beacon, New York to L.A. in December 2017 to work as a handyman for the Dawson family and to “renovate and remodel Rosario’s personal residence.” He eventually moved into a North Hollywood home rented by the family and came out to them as transgender not too long after. He explained to them that he would now be known as Dedrek and uses he/him pronouns.
However, according to the suit, immediately after Finley came out to them, “the family misgendered him multiple times each day, with deliberate indifference as to the appropriate way to address Mr. Finley” and Rosario Dawson “acted with deliberate indifference and did nothing to correct the situation.”
The suit continued, “Instead, in response to Mr. Finley’s complaints, Rosario would respond to Mr. Finley, ‘You’re a grown woman.'”
The suit claims that in February of last year, just a few months after coming out, Finley was then ordered to move out. He refused, claiming there was no legal ground for his eviction. On April 28, 2018, Finley says that the family worked together to attack him. Isabel Dawson, Rosario’s mother, allegedly dragged him by his arm out a window and then assaulted him.
“Once Mr. Finley was lying helpless on the ground outside, Isabel, who is substantially larger than Mr. Finley, got on top of Mr. Finley’s body and began punching him,” the suit says. “While beating Mr. Finley, Isabel screamed, ‘You’re not so much of a man now,’ which was a clear and denigrating reference to Mr. Finley’s gender identity.”
The suit also claims Rosario helped with the attack by sitting on top of Finley and “actively restraining him while he was on the ground to ensure that her mother could continue battering him.”
Isabel Dawson also allegedly threatened to kill Finley’s cat if he didn’t make moves out of their residence. She also allegedly stomped on his hand during the attack and stole Finley’s cellphone, which Finley says contains video of the previous threats made against him. A day after the alleged attack, Finley was able to secure a temporary restraining order against Isabel Dawson, reads the suit.
Rosario has yet to speak out publicly about the alleged incident, but it might be best for her to speak soon, considering her boyfriend has been running on anti-LGBTQ+ violence issues.
Just a few weeks ago, Senator Booker spoke at a town hall focusing on LGBTQ+ issues where he called violence against LGBT youth in America a “national emergency.” According to the National Review, he further said:
“We live in a country where we still see regular, everyday violence and intimidation and bullying against Americans, because of who they are. So, number one, I am going to appoint a secretary of education, first of all, that sees the dignity and the worth and the value of every one of our children, and I will have a department of education that takes the steps necessary to protect all children in America.”
Booker has also yet to publicly speak out about the allegations against Dawson. If he chooses to stay silent, it can speak volumes about how he really feels about LGBTQ+ issues and whether or not he’s willing to hold his girlfriend accountable if guilty.
Finley’s attorney, Tasha Alyssa Hill, explained that Finley just wants what’s “just and fair” and “to get some sort of compensation, so he can get back on track with his life so he can put this incident behind him.”
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