poetry 2017 / 050

Public Restroom

The usual panic

experienced by all non binary people.

Will I be ejected because I don't look right?

Because my voice is deep

or my biceps, strong enough to lift a car

are too masculine?

Do I threaten people with my queer politics,

my outspoken viewpoint,

my advocacy for gay, queers, blacks, muslims

(and, perversely, for christians

and pin-suited white men.)

This is the fear that transwomen feel,

and transmen,

and masculine-of-centre women

and feminine-of-centre men.

This is the fear felt by gay men

faced with homophobic staight folk,

by muslim women in white cities

by black men in white pubs.

“They prey on our children”

scream the daily rants

but the paedophiles and rapists;

the pushers of drugs and hate,

the agents of violence against strangers

are almost always straight white Christians

preaching hate in the name of their straight white god.