Insults in the street

I find it odd how some random person can insult you in the street without knowing you, obviously there are lots of prejudgements by many people upon appearance in the street but it still isn't needed. Also I never thought that it would happen to me but today was my day to be insulted in the street, and I thought I would entertain myself and reply.

I was walking back from an appointment within the centre of town and was walking back through an area which isn't the best of areas. On one street I noticed that there were 2 guys loitering and I ignored the fact that they stereotypically looked like the type that would cause trouble, because I know many who look that way who have a better attitude then me towards things. I sort of looked at them quickly and just carried on walking because I just wanted to get back home, there was also a woman roughly the same age as me walking with her young baby in the opposite direction. I walked past the 2 guys and continued walking as you would, about 10 metres or so past them one of them shouted "what you looking at faggot". I don't even know what came over me but I turned around and replied with "I prefer 'shirt lifter', darling" while slightly lifting my t shirt with a similar attitude to them. I had a huge smile on my face and continued in the direction I was going, I'm pretty sure I stunned the 2 guys with what I said because they looked pretty shocked. The woman in the street had a big grin and nodded at me which was quite reassuring. I probably looked really camp when I did that but I really couldn't care, I've been on a high since then.

I can see now that my confidence has shot up quite a bit from what it was like 6 months ago. I really don't understand why people would want to say negative stuff about others who they have never met before. If people are going to insult me then they're going to have to be more creative.

Anybody else have any funny or interesting stories that were similar to my situation today? Would be nice to make a thread of it.

[maverick]

Okay, so a little embarassed to say I had to look up shirtlifter, lol...I'm not down with the 'mo slang across the pond.

I don't have any funny stories like this - wish I did. I usually just pretend I didn't hear it when I get mocked by strangers. I'm sort of afraid to engage people who are bold enough to yell epithets at me in the street, to be perfectly honest. I don't really live in an area where I can trust other strangers to step in and save me if a gang of rednecks decided they didn't like the arrangement of my face.

This actually happened to me Sunday on my way back from church. A car-full of teenagers got up behind me and started yelling stuff I couldn't understand and flicking me off through the passenger window. Why? I wasn't walking hand-in-hand with another female, I don't have rainbow stickers on my bumper, and other than a traditionally male haircut and male clothing, I don't feel like I scream gay or anything. Is a short haircut and a man's dress shirt really enough evidence of sexual misconduct to accost people on the street? I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone sometimes.

I really want to get a black belt in a martial art so I can walk anywhere I like with full confidence, and if someone messes with me, I can pull out the judo and reply, "You picked the wrong queer to bash today, buddy. Bad luck for you."

[Owen]

The only time something like that has ever happened to me was in high school. I was walking up a very crowded stairwell with some of my friends when I heard some anonymous voice shout from behind, "Owen takes it up the ass." Without even thinking about it, I turned my head around and shouted back, "And what if I do?". My friends were quite amused, and I heard nothing else from this person.

[Z3ni]

Well, one time when I was running for the bus through a alley way, there were 3 "hoodies" one of them took the piss when I was running pass and swinged his arm and said "pow!", but ignored him and ran to the bus coz it was about to go.

[thylvin]

Walking down the main street near Kalahari Sands Hotel, a group of guys yelled after me and hubby some obscure things that i really can not post here. Why, because we walked hand in hand.

Usually I ignore it. I always do. You see, what ever they say or yell or do, when it is negative will impact on their lives on a negative way. I don't do things or yell back.. i let Karama do that for me... She is a bitch and takes instalments so they will eventually get what they dished out.

[Ghostly]

oh lol I sometimes get insulted when I go outside and I'm dressed in an eccentric way, for example I was one time wearing highlighter coloured skinny jeans and I got called some words as I passed by a group of grade 12s :s

[Kidd]

I too had to look up "shirt-lifter," I've never heard that one before....

Anyway, I've never had anything overtly homophobic said to me before. The closest I've ever came was at a party a couple of weeks ago--some idiot football players were standing next to the door and my friends and I walked in, and I was the last one through the door, and one of them stopped me and asked me in a snide kind of way who my boyfriend was, and I said "Oh, if only you knew..." and just walked in. I could have a marine in my bed in 20 minutes if I wanted, and that's the truth.

[malachite]

The truth about people is that they're petty, selfish, and childish.
Plus shirt lifter was new on me too