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Sex swap taxi driver sacked
A sex change taxi driver has claimed she was sacked for wearing bright nail polish and a skirt.
Andre Edwards, who was born a man but now lives as a woman, believes she lost her job at Leyland Taxis because her employers and customers could not deal with her unorthodox lifestyle.
However, taxi bosses say she was dismissed after four months because of complaints from colleagues and customers about her "bad attitude", including making comments about their hair and weight.
But the 50-year-old, who is awaiting a sex change operation, said she was ostracised for wearing bright nail polish and a skirt.
Andre said: "I am absolutely devastated. I've been through a lot and when I got this job I started to think life wasn't as bad as I thought.
"When I went for the job I explained about the gender issues and they said 'as long as you can drive, we don't care'.
"Getting the job was a real boost for me because acceptance breeds confidence.
"This time last year, I wouldn't have dreamt of wearing bright nail polish or anything like that.
"But when I started I was ostracised by some of the other drivers. Most people were fine with it but there were always whispers and some people wouldn't talk to me."
Phil Briggs, owner of Leyland Taxis, said he was forced to sack Andre after complaints about her attitude towards colleagues and clients.
He said: "My philosophy is that you have always got to give someone a chance in life.
"Andre came to us after another firm said they didn't want to know.
"It has nothing to do with appearance or lifestyle, but after a great deal of complaints from members of the public and staff, I had to explain that we had to let her go.
"She upset a number of staff with comments about their weight and I had complaints from customers saying her attitude towards the public was appalling."
Andre started at Leyland Taxis, based in Hough Lane, in January.
She said: "There were a couple of people that were uneasy, but I even did the school runs.
"Women especially seemed genuinely interested. I am a good driver and that's all they care about at the end of the day.
"It shouldn't matter if I'm wearing a skirt or a pair of jeans."
Andre, who was born Andrew, said she first knew she was not like other children when she was just 10-years-old.
However, she later married a woman in a bid to be accepted.
But when her wife died of heart failure in 2004, Andre, who lives near Ormskirk, slowly started to live as a woman. She grew her hair and ordered hormone replacement pills from the internet. She hopes to undergo a full sex change operation next year.
Mr Briggs said he first gave Andre a warning on February 16 after receiving three complaints from female members of staff.
One employee said Andre called her haircut 'dreadful', while another complained about comments about her weight.
Mr Briggs said a regular customer complained the next day that she was 'uncomfortable' with Andre.
There were also complaints in April and May, Mr Briggs said.
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Wednesday 22 February 2012
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