< Translator’s note: The original formatting of the stories has been preserved. The translations aim to remain as close as possible to each author's original wording and expression.

 

This story happened on my 18th birthday. I was riding a minibus with friends to a nearby town to celebrate. It was cool outside, so I was dressed all in black: a black hoodie with skulls and spiders, short hair, and black boots. I ended up sitting next to what I assumed was a fairly religious older man. I was wearing headphones. During the journey, I noticed the old man glancing over from time to time, looking over my outfit. After each glance, he’d shake his head disapprovingly, look out the window, and run his fingers along the wooden beads in his hand. At one point, he leaned over and looked down at my shoes or my legs. I found it funny at the time, but I pretended not to notice anything. Then, when I asked whether he was getting off at the first stop in town — since I was sitting closer to the exit — he asked where I was going dressed like that. I answered: “Far away and for a long time,” at which he laughed — but it was a helpless laugh, as if he’d been expecting a completely different answer. I still don’t understand what about my appearance could have attracted such attention, or what exactly there was to stare at.

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Anonymous author; story shared in 2023 as part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign