Nov 14 2013

When I talk to people about systemic inequalities, one of the hardest things for them to understand is the concrete nature of how these relations affect the day-to-day lives of others. For many, this topic is an abstract discussion. For many others, this is life, day to day.

In the interest of helping bridge this gap, I want to share a story with you from a few weeks ago. The setting: the West Village, Manhattan. The night: Halloween. In the early morning hours of All Saint’s Day, I got a text message from someone I care about. Here’s some screenshots of the conversation. She has seen this post and said it’s okay to share, for the same reasons I’m interested in sharing this with you. Also, if reading a story about a bad situation or a slur or two will make you upset, you may want to read another blog post.

I’m not sure how to convince random people on Twitter that yes, in 2013, in the West Villiage, in the largest city in the country, on a holiday night when everyone is out, you still can’t let your guard down. Even if you’re not actually a gay man.

And this is just one story.