do you want me to tell you what is it like to live in fear?

what is it like to know, each day, that there are people who want you dead?

people who view your kind as immoral?

as wrong?

as unnatural?

 

do you want me to tell you what it’s like to fear for your friends,

whose genders are scrutinized, picked apart

by those who have no say?

those who would rather commit murder

than love someone who was born different?

 

do you want me to tell you what it is like to see a red baseball cap,

and feel your heart plummet to the soles of your shoes?

to see a red baseball cap and pray to whoever’s out there,

that it’s for your local baseball team?

 

do you want me to tell you what it’s like

to ball your fists in your pockets,

when you hear the slurs drop from people’s mouths

as easily as drool drips from their lips?

to suppress your stims,

because the words they will say them to you if you don’t,

and you know that words really do hurt?

 

do you want me to tell you what it’s like

to deal with actual fucking teachers,

whose lessons are subtly discriminatory?

to bring it up to them and get shrugged off,

told it’s not a big deal?

 

do you want me to tell you what it’s like

to live as a human crossroads,

with friends just the same?

to live in a world of straight streets,

paved streets

that tries to snuff you out?

 

do you want me to tell you what it’s like to live in fear?