The owner of Teatro Maria Vitoria has responded to allegations made by a woman who claims she was dismissed from her position as a dressing room assistant for being transgender.
“Hélder Costa did not accept that I was a woman,” she stated, adding, “[He said] that he would not address me by my name and did not want me working there.” The 26-year-old, who was contacted by a friend to fill the role, only held the position for three days.
Hélder Freire Costa, the owner of the theater, took to social media to address what he describes as “defamation.”
“It is completely false,” stated the company he manages, referring to the widely circulated situation in the media, which they claim contains “false information.”
“Íris Redol is not an employee nor does she provide services for this company, nor has she ever been affiliated with this company in any capacity,” the statement reads, adding, “Íris claims she was fired for being trans. That information is also false, as it can be confirmed because you cannot fire someone who was never hired.”
At the time, the owner of Teatro Maria Vitoria had already denied the accusations, expressing his desire not to have his name “entangled in gossip.”
Hélder Costa explained that the decision to let Íris go was due to his lack of awareness about her hiring, and any hire requires his approval.
Furthermore, Hélder Freire Costa has announced his intention to take action “in accordance with the competent authorities.”
