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Prejudice at Pride

Panel 1

[Image] A black woman wearing a headwrap, looking at the reader. She looks concerned. The background is horizontal block colours – a rainbow pattern.

[Caption] I get nervous before any LGBT event. Especially Pride.

Panel 2

[Image] Two men, one white, and one black. Both look angry, and both are holding rainbow flags.

[Caption] There’s so much hate towards bisexuals at these events. I can’t have children. These words hurt. A lot.

White man: Breeders!

Black man: Get out of here, switcheroos.

Panel 3

[Image] The woman facing away from the reader, at the backs of the two men, still holding their rainbow flags. The woman is also holding a rainbow flag, but hers is lowered.

[Caption] Pride is supposed to be a celebration, but it hasn’t been for me on many occasions.

Panel 4

[Image] A hand pushing the back of the woman, who looks startled, and is lurching forward

[Caption] I’ve received physical abuse too. Pushed.

Panel 5

[Image] A hand holding a rainbow flag and pushing it into the woman’s back. The woman looks annoyed.

[Caption] Prodded.

Panel 6

[Image] The woman grasping at her shoulder. A hand has grabbed her bra strap and is pulling.

[Caption] Tugged.

Panel 7

[Image] The woman, looking scared. A hand is shoving a whistle into her mouth.

[Caption] And this. It’s almost always gay men who get physical.

[Speech bubble] Now blow, breeder!

Panel 8

[Image] The woman sitting on a park bench. Behind her, a frowning white man holding a large rainbow flag spits at her. The spit has landed on the woman’s face, and she looks shocked. Her hand is on her cheek where the spit has landed.

[Caption] When biphobia combines with racism, it’s even worse.

Panel 9

[Image] The woman, still sitting on the park bench, but the image is zoomed out. The man holding the large rainbow flag is turned away, and has become a silhouette, blending into a crowd of other silhouettes. The woman is crying and shaking.

[Caption] Sometimes I get so scared at LGBT events that I find myself shaking.

Panel 10

[Caption] If gay and lesbian people don’t understand me – having been on the receiving end of hate themselves – then how will anyone else understand?

Panel 11

[Caption] I once thought Black Pride would be better. But it’s not. It’s just less racist.

Panel 12

[Image] A parade. A white girl is on the back of a truck, and a white man holding a rainbow flag follows on foot. Silhouettes dot the sidewalk beside the parade. One silhouette is darker than the others.

[Caption] I often ask myself why I keep going to these events.

Panel 13

[Image] The same scene, but zoomed in closer on the darker silhouette, who is now shown in full detail. She is a young black woman, smiling widely.

[Caption] But then I’ll see a black face in the crowd…

Panel 14

[Image] A closeup of the young black woman, in the crowd of otherwise white parade-watchers. Her eyes are bright and she is smiling.

[Caption] Black and bi people have told me that my presence really made them feel hopeful, encourage. Being visible is important to me.

Panel 15

[Image] The black woman with the headwrap, smiling, and holding a rainbow-patterned heart against her chest.

[Caption] I shouldn’t hide a big part of myself through fear from the very people who are meant to support me. I just hope the next LGBT event I go to really will be inclusive to all the parts of me.