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Actress Rosario Dawson and her family are currently being sued by a transgender man who says he was the victim of a trans phobic attack while previously being employed by the family.

In 2017, Dedrek Finley moved from New York, where he did work for the family, to California as a handyman for the Dawson family  and to “renovate and remodel Rosario’s personal residence,” which promised him consistent work. He later moved into a home that was rented by the family. Shortly after, Finley, 55, came out to the family as transgender, telling the family that he would now be known as Dedrek and use he/him pronouns.

After revealing the info, “the family misgendered him multiple times each day, with deliberate indifference as to the appropriate way to address Mr. Finley,” the suit claims. Rosario Dawson, “acted with deliberate indifference and did nothing to correct the situation.”

“Instead, in response to Mr. Finley’s complaints, Rosario would respond to Mr. Finley, ‘You’re a grown woman,’” despite the fact that Finley had come out as transgender to the family.

Months after coming out, the family asked Finley to move out but refused due to there being no legal grounds for eviction. A few months later he alleged that the family worked together to assault him. Rosario’s mother, Isabel, allegedly dragged him by his arm out of a window and then attacked 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 states. “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 alleges Rosario Dawson assisted in the assault by sitting on top of him 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 did not move out and stomped on his hand during the attack and stole his cellphone, which Finley alleges contains video of the previous threats made against him.

A day after the alleged attack, Finley was granted a temporary restraining order against Isabel Dawson, according to the suit.

Source: NBC News