I am gay, it seems. Not a coming-out speech, in fact gay is something I'm completely satisfied I am not. But I'm told I'm gay, because a bunch of teenagers on bikes screamed homophobic abuse at me last night.My Big Gay Crime? Being a big scruffy bloke photographing a flower in the park. Yes, that's right, photographing flowers makes you gay.
Harm done: nil. A little shaken at the time, but even homophobic teenagers can tell that someone like me could self-defend the living crap out of them.
Would I have attracted their attention had I been presenting as female? Of course I would, had they identified me as transgender. But then again from a distance they probably wouldn't have seen anything but a woman crouching over a clump of flowers with a camera so I'd have not attracted their attention in the first place. Women are allowed to photograph flowers in homophobe-world.
Today I will report the incident to the police. There is no chance they'll be caught, though they might be on CCTV that would be expecting too much. But hate speech is a crime in the UK and crimes are tackled on the basis of statistics here, so by reporting it I will at least ensure that the crime is taken more seriously .
The picture shows the gay flowers in question. Not framed well and I'm not happy with the light. Being interrupted by yobs plays havoc with your photography. But I'm rather proud of it nevertheless, for what it represents.
I will photograph flowers wherever and whenever I damn well want to.
There aren't many things better to take photos of than flowers, these look like they may be our native blue bells rather than he Spanish ones which seem to be taking over round here.
ReplyDeleteIt's not their fault they do not know
ReplyDeleteThe birdsong from the radio,
It's not their fault they often go
To Maidenhead
And talk of sport and makes of cars
In various bogus-Tudor bars
And daren't look up and see the stars
But belch instead....
:-)
Wot Dru said...
ReplyDeleteSuch idiots. Brave souls from afar, cowards close-up
ReplyDeleteShirley Anne x
Evenin' all,
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to think to be honest. A mixture of youthful ignorance, aggression and casual homophobia at best, an evil bigotry at worst. Probably closer to the former.
But it did cross the line, "That's a bit gay" would not have done, though it's a sense I wouldn't use. Speculating about my sexual habits, my reasons for being in a clump of trees in the park (it *really* isn't that kind of park!) and verbally abusing me for being gay, that's definitely in the "Hate crime" box.
Kinda weird though. The police lady was treating me as a victim of crime, but because they missed the target I feel more like an annoyed witness to a crime.
I have heard that the vast majority of people who pass through the doors of
ReplyDeletethe GIC go full-time and go on to have GRS. If this is true, how you and your readers feel about this? Is this a good thing or not?
as a general rule, if you credit hearsay about GICs you're a bloody fool and you're listening to a bunch of bloody fools.
ReplyDeleteUhuh....and you know this how?
Deletesorry, anonymous, it's not my job to edumacate you
Deletehaving said that.... http://beingdrusilla.wordpress.com/trans-resources/what-happens-at-charing-cross-gic/
DeleteInteresting and somewhat 'enlightening' link. Unfortunately it does not seem to answer nor address that question posed above. Does, "the vast majority of people who pass through the doors of
Deletethe GIC go full-time and go on to have GRS?"
And..."If this is true, how do you and the readers here, feel about this? Is this a good thing or not?"
I think I did answer your question. You created a straw man and invited a response to it.
DeleteI have attended a GIC and it is my opinion that the service they provide is increasingly responsive to the needs of the patients, and increasingly recognises the diversity of those needs. Which is a Good Thing.
Now tell me what you know about GICs.
I know nothing about GIC's in the UK, which is why this question is of interest. Is Charing Cross the only GIC or are there other clinics and is their theraputic approach consistant throughout the different clinics? Has anyone actually looked at this or is this just your own personally biased opinion? How does this compare to private clinics or are the treatment parameters the same?
DeleteI responded to what seems like an interesting and valid question being dismissed by some generic 'talking points' and an outright attack on the questioner as a "bloody fool". How paternalistically arrogant is that?
Personally, I am curious if "most of the people" seeking treatment for GID in these state run gender clinics do get grs, and if you and others here think this is a good or bad thing.
I do not see a strawman here, but what I do feel is YOU trying to derail what I continue to see as a valid question being avoided by attacking those whom you seem to perceive as a threat. Why is that?
This is interesting. Why indeed? Why do you feel that I perceive you as a threat?
DeleteNot into word games, Dru.
DeleteYou have obviously been called out and exposed as a condescending fool. Yet you continue to avoid a simple question. Why, indeed.
CYA. Wouldn't want to BYA.
So you invite us to respond to a speculation on your part on a subject about which, by your own admission, you know nothing; and you dismiss my own experience of that subject as 'personally biased'. All while hiding behind a misspelled internet persona, and throwing in silly insults. Sorry, not rising to the bait.
DeleteThey are lovely flowers. Keep photographing them. :)
ReplyDeleteOn topic.
ReplyDeleteGood photo, hope what happened hasn't detered too much.
Pretty flowers, Jenny. Do you know what they are?
ReplyDeleteThanks again all,
ReplyDeleteThey're bluebells. Not wild ones, after all this is a park.
Not deterred at all. Annoyed, yes.