Unfiltered Story #151084

(I am a female-to-male transgender individual. I am pre-transition and due to a combination of health issues and certain unwanted assets being too large to safely bind, I am unable to pass as male, though I do dress in a more masculine fashion.

Tonight is the release of the newest and last game in a very popular bat-themed superhero video game series. I have a copy for PS4 pre-ordered and have just arrived to join the queue of gamers waiting for the game to be released. In the past, the people closest to the door of the store are in the back of the line, so I go to stand there. There’s a group of guys of varying ages that are obviously together, and they begin staring at me with rather snotty looks on their faces. One guy in particular seems to be their leader.)

Him:  “Hey uh, I don’t mean to be rude. But uh, you’re in the wrong line.” (His tone was rude and confrontational despite his choice of words.)

Me: “Is this the line for Arkham Knight?”

Friends #1 & #2: *scoffs* Yeah!

Me: “Then I’m not in the wrong line.”

(They all exchange annoyed expressions and looks of disbelief, as though I had a lot of nerve standing in that line.)

Leader: “You getting it for your boyfriend or something?”

Me: “My husband isn’t a big fan of the Arkham games.”

(They look at me incredulously.)

Leader: “You play the Arkham games?”

Me: “Yep. I love Batman.”

(They keep exchanging looks, giving me looks, and muttering sexist things.)

Leader: “Yeah, well, this is the front of the line. Get in the back of the line.”

Me: *Shrug* “Alright.”

(I go to ask a store employee who is checking people’s receipts where the back of the line is, because I most certainly don’t want to cut in front of anyone else.)

Me: “Excuse me, where’s the back of the line? Those gentlemen over there *I point to them* insisted that was the front of the line.”

Female Employee: “*Follows my finger and rolls her eyes and sighs in disgust* It doesn’t matter where the “front” of the line is. Everyone will have to line up outside soon.”

Me: “*Smile apologetically to her* Alright. Thank you.”

(Soon the line moves outside and the group of guys are confronting people that are at the front of the newly formed line.)

Leader: “Make room, we were here first!”

Guy: “I’ve been standing here for a few minutes.”

Leader: “We were at the front of the line!”

Female Employee: “Either get behind them, go to the back of the line, or come get your game tomorrow!”

Leader: “We were at the front of the line! *Angrily stomps behind the people at the front of the line*”

(When it comes time to go inside and get my game, those guys are walking out as I’m walking inside, and they once again shoot me a plethora of dirty looks.

I really love gaming, but I absolutely hate the sexism within the gaming community.)