Up until two and a half hours ago, I was the only queer person I knew who had never been verbally or physically threatened.
I was at the bar — there were maybe 20 friends there, but it’s still not a social environment I feel at home in. Halfway through the evening, a man whose name I should remember but can’t came up to me and loudly demanded “Are you a boy or a girl?” … after a few moments of me saying “I’m kindof in the middle, aren’t I?”, he said “You fucking cocksucker. I should kick your ass.” and he tried to get two other beefy looking guys to back him up. I just kinda smiled and shrugged at the other two guys, and they didn’t even say anything.
I was really flattered that Aubrey, Jennifer, Rob, and Samantha all stood up for me right afterward, after they heard what was going on. I learned a lot about who my allies are here: Rob said “What you’re doing is really bold, especially here in Ridgway. I admire you, er,… man?”
I’m not unhappy about tonight. I’m angry that shit like this happens, but I’m not upset with how things went down. I’m glad I know how to stay safe. I’m glad that me at my drunkest is way more alert than most people when sober. I’m glad I know who my allies are, and I’m glad I have no idea that I just need to beat down the people who talk trash at me.
Good night.