Here in American gay traveler’s somehow got the idea that as a gay tourist in “Continental” Europe (particularly Paris) that we would be able to travel without hassles. Well, I’m here to say “Not so!”
Last fall as I was walking in a deserted area of an underground Paris metro station I was approached by a lone individual who came toward me and out of the blue began hurling gay epitaphs at me. I must admit, after I got over the shock of the totally unprovoked verbal assault I felt somewhat relieved in that I was not physically assaulted. Is this what tourists can expect in “gay” Paree?”
Gays need to be on alert no matter what the destination or occasion… it’s coming to that.
@ bicoastal yank:
I think perhaps you meant epithet instead of epitaph.
Unless you meant this stranger really was hurling inscriptions inscribed on a tombstone at you…surely not!
Whereas…
epithet, noun. an adjective, noun, or phrase, often specif. a disparaging one, used to characterize some person or thing.
I’m glad you weren’t physically assaulted anyway, nowhere is totally free of homophobic nutcases unfortunately you do need to give some thought to safety.
According to the reportage in L’Express, the attackers were Franco-Egyptian. This is happening an awful lot across Europe, even in otherwise liberal Scandinavia and The Netherlands.
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Here in American gay traveler’s somehow got the idea that as a gay tourist in “Continental” Europe (particularly Paris) that we would be able to travel without hassles. Well, I’m here to say “Not so!”
Last fall as I was walking in a deserted area of an underground Paris metro station I was approached by a lone individual who came toward me and out of the blue began hurling gay epitaphs at me. I must admit, after I got over the shock of the totally unprovoked verbal assault I felt somewhat relieved in that I was not physically assaulted. Is this what tourists can expect in “gay” Paree?”
Gays need to be on alert no matter what the destination or occasion… it’s coming to that.
@ bicoastal yank:
I think perhaps you meant epithet instead of epitaph.
Unless you meant this stranger really was hurling inscriptions inscribed on a tombstone at you…surely not!
Whereas…
epithet, noun. an adjective, noun, or phrase, often specif. a disparaging one, used to characterize some person or thing.
I’m glad you weren’t physically assaulted anyway, nowhere is totally free of homophobic nutcases unfortunately you do need to give some thought to safety.
According to the reportage in L’Express, the attackers were Franco-Egyptian. This is happening an awful lot across Europe, even in otherwise liberal Scandinavia and The Netherlands.
So Jennifer, I guess it’s not allowed for anyone to say the attackers (4 men in their twenties) were Muslim’s.
“They were Muslims but shhhh… we’re not supposed to say that.”