Stuff Strangers Say

[amd]

Like many others, if I never hear "Can I help you sir...ma'am...er..." it will be too soon.

Similarly, I cannot comprehend why servers must chirp "ladies" at me and my cisfemale companions.  I swear that they do it more than they do it to groups of ciswomen for some reason.

[Polo]

Before figuring things out and really cultivating a masculine look, I had several older male strangers make comments on how they used to wear their hair shoulder length or shaggy like I was at the time (lol)

The occasional time I'm not gendered correctly I usually am referred to as a singular "they". Who knew Florida and Texas were so progressive?

[Jeatyn]

Like many others, if I never hear "Can I help you sir...ma'am...er..." it will be too soon.

Similarly, I cannot comprehend why servers must chirp "ladies" at me and my cisfemale companions.  I swear that they do it more than they do it to groups of ciswomen for some reason.

Me and my cis-male partner get referred to as "ladies" when we're together hilariously often. He does have a pony tail....but also a big ol' beard and dresses nowhere near feminine most of the time.

[LatrellHK]

This happened to day and actually made me angry at the rudeness of the situation.

I was turning in a job application and before I did noticed a women having issues holding her basket up. I walked over, asked if I could help her, and she immediately snapped at me saying, "get the h___ away from me! Do I look like I need your help?"

I was obviously taken back and my friend who was cashier couldn't do anything but stare, jaw-dropped, at this lady. I politely, let me say it was an effort, told her, "I'm sorry ma'am, looked like you did to me." I have a naturally softer voice however, so it was one of those moments where I was speaking softer than intended for the moment. She rudely yells at me, "Speak louder! For christs sake, I never met a boy as quiet as you!" Squints eyes, "Are you a flamer?" I only know what "flamer" meant bc my granma. I responded, losing my temper but maintaining some sense, with "No. I'm not. And I'm not a boy ma'am, I'm a female."

She looks at me, shifts her stuff from one arm to the other as though I'm gonna rob her, and says to get my queer ass away from her before she calls security for harassment! I said, "okay" as calmly as I could, backed up a few steps, walked away to calm myself, and came back to a shocked friend. She praised me for maintaining myself but I swear the only reason I didn't strike her was because she was an older women and as I was raised, I would never out my hands on an older female. No women in general, but she's older and looked to be in her 40s.

I swear though, she was SO rude. And according to my friend, she asked her why ->-bleeped-<-gots were allowed in the store! My friend told me she told her she can't answer that and the lady left but seriously??? Stereotype or not, that was incredibly rude and almost made me lose my bearing.

[2fish]

This happened to day and actually made me angry at the rudeness of the situation.

I was turning in a job application and before I did noticed a women having issues holding her basket up. I walked over, asked if I could help her, and she immediately snapped at me saying, "get the h___ away from me! Do I look like I need your help?"

I was obviously taken back and my friend who was cashier couldn't do anything but stare, jaw-dropped, at this lady. I politely, let me say it was an effort, told her, "I'm sorry ma'am, looked like you did to me." I have a naturally softer voice however, so it was one of those moments where I was speaking softer than intended for the moment. She rudely yells at me, "Speak louder! For christs sake, I never met a boy as quiet as you!" Squints eyes, "Are you a flamer?" I only know what "flamer" meant bc my granma. I responded, losing my temper but maintaining some sense, with "No. I'm not. And I'm not a boy ma'am, I'm a female."

She looks at me, shifts her stuff from one arm to the other as though I'm gonna rob her, and says to get my queer ass away from her before she calls security for harassment! I said, "okay" as calmly as I could, backed up a few steps, walked away to calm myself, and came back to a shocked friend. She praised me for maintaining myself but I swear the only reason I didn't strike her was because she was an older women and as I was raised, I would never out my hands on an older female. No women in general, but she's older and looked to be in her 40s.

I swear though, she was SO rude. And according to my friend, she asked her why ->-bleeped-<-gots were allowed in the store! My friend told me she told her she can't answer that and the lady left but seriously??? Stereotype or not, that was incredibly rude and almost made me lose my bearing.

At my work place, private non corporate, I was told from the day I was hired that I could throw out any customer that was rude to me or my fellow coworkers. If I felt I was in danger to immediately call the police. I have used this power 3 times so far. If someone has a problem with it, my bosses would proudly stand behind our decisions. I am lucky.  My bosses provide a safe place for me to work. I am out to them and they respect people and expect others to do the same in our establishment.