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Erik JM Schneider's avatar

There are a number of rural areas in the US West (most of Wyoming, for instance) where it is dangerous for people like me to stop. Despite looking all the world like a cisgendered guy I still get death stares from white men--always white, never any other apparent ethnicity. All of them much bigger than I and under no threat whatsoever from me. Do I still look queer in REI backpacking gear? I have no idea.

But when they stop with the hostility maybe some of us will dial back the response.

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TCinLA's avatar

You don't have to be gay to get that. I remember hitching from Berkeley to Denver, and the ride let me off in Rawlins. After several hours of bad stares and a couple swerves toward me, I went into town and called a friend in Denver and had them wire me the Greyhound fare. It only finally got there just before the last bus for the night left. I was planning where to hide for the night because I knew the "night creatures" would be looking for me. I rate Wyoming and Idaho as far worse than East Texas for danger.

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