A West Belfast mum has hit out at the young people who shouted transphobic slurs at her son on a Glider bus on New Year's Eve.
Julieann McNally's son Leon, 20, had been travelling home following his sift at work when the incident occurred.
"After a shift, he boarded the Glider at College Square East and on that bus ride up to the Colin Connect where we live, he was abused with transphobic hate slurs," she told Belfast Live.
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"The worst one and I really don't like saying the word, but it's a transphobic slur and there were other bits and pieces shouted at him also, it shook him up.
"Leon has a fried in East Belfast who is also a trans guy and his experience about a year or so ago, was that he was also verbally abused and then followed off the bus and he was beat up.
"So Leon said that when this started to happen, he was so afraid he was frozen.
"Only when he got to the Colin Connect and he got off and the rest of the boys stayed on, did Leon feel safe to contact me on the phone."
Julieann said she was upset and angry when she found out what had happened and said Leon thought those who had shouted the abuse were around 17-years-old.
"Leon is a very articulate, strong-minded, strong-willed person as I suppose you have to be going through the journey of transition, and the courage and the strength that's needed to take you through that," she added.
"It did shake him up a bit though, it did frighten him and he's probably experienced something that as a mummy, you never want him to experience.
"Unfortunately it's a new year, but old prejudices still exist."
She said it was an opportunity for parents to reflect on what they were teaching their children and to have a conversation about mutual respect.
"Regardless of whether they know about trans or LGBT issues, agree with it or disagree with it, you have to understand that your words impact on other people," she said.
"That impact can be negative and that negativity can hang about for a bit.
"It's certainly thrown Leon, but he'll come through it the same way he has come through everything else.
"We didn't report it to police and that was his choice because he didn't want to be re-traumatised by going through everything again."
Julieann also said that she hoped public transport would not become something to be feared for those in the LGBT community.
"The Glider service is great especially up where we live but we are seeing some incidents on it and I would call on Translink to maybe increase the number of inspectors on those," she said.
"It should be a safe space for everyone to use, it's a public service."
Translink said they were aware of the incident and were investigating it.
"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and staff is our top priority and we condemn all instances of anti-social behaviour on our services," a spokesperson said.
"We have reached out to this passenger and their family directly, advising them to contact the PSNI and reassuring them that a Translink investigation is also underway.”
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