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the best bike ride in a while
Aug. 15th, 2019 10:03 amI was about three quarters done with my first lap around Green Lake this morning when I saw a lady a little older than I am with a t-shirt that said "PROTECT TRANS KIDS". I had to stop, turn around, and talk to her.
I said, "Once upon a time I was a trans kid. I appreciate your shirt."
"Thanks," she said, and I was off. I didn't see her on my second lap.
Maybe you think this isn't that big a deal, but let me tell you what Green Lake and the adjacent neighborhoods are like: whiter than average, even for Seattle; older than average; richer than average. You know what this implies: blander and smugger than average, as well. Visible queerness or queer-friendliness in my neighborhood is so rare that I write about it here.
So it was thrilling to see somebody near where I live taking a stand for people who need it so badly, people I know really well. I wonder how many times she's had to explain that shirt, or how much nasty lip she's gotten for it. Not many and not much, I hope. Because of how small the trans population is, help from people like her is even more vital to us than it is to the cis queers.
I said, "Once upon a time I was a trans kid. I appreciate your shirt."
"Thanks," she said, and I was off. I didn't see her on my second lap.
Maybe you think this isn't that big a deal, but let me tell you what Green Lake and the adjacent neighborhoods are like: whiter than average, even for Seattle; older than average; richer than average. You know what this implies: blander and smugger than average, as well. Visible queerness or queer-friendliness in my neighborhood is so rare that I write about it here.
So it was thrilling to see somebody near where I live taking a stand for people who need it so badly, people I know really well. I wonder how many times she's had to explain that shirt, or how much nasty lip she's gotten for it. Not many and not much, I hope. Because of how small the trans population is, help from people like her is even more vital to us than it is to the cis queers.
