Unfiltered Story #352812

(I personally identify as genderfluid and asexual, and it took me a while to figure this out. This happened while I was still questioning and refused to identify. I was at a seminar for IGY, Israeli gay youth, in February 2017. I was talking to two guys I met at this group activity who weren’t from my home group – the home groups separated for this group activity, so there were some guys from my group with me but not all of them – and seemed very nice, we found similar interests in video games and fidget toys and all sorts of other stuff, and I had an okay, above average fun. When this happened:)

Guy 1: “What do you say, wanna go out for coffee at [relatively cheap coffee chain] with me?”
Me: “No.”
Guy 1: “Is it because I’m a guy or because it’s [relatively cheap coffee chain]?”
Me: “Neither…? I’ve never dated anyone.”
Guy 2: “What are you, a lesbian?”
Me: “No…”
Guy 1: “Are you asexual?”
Me: “No, I said I don’t identify as anything…”
Guy 2: “Aromantic?”
Me: “Again, no.”
Guy 2: “So what the f*** are you, b****?!”

(After that, I started crying. And I refused to take part in a group activity even after my friends from my home group caught me crying and talked me out of it and hugged me – I’m always up for hugs – and assured me it was all okay. Later that day, before going home, my group counselor – let’s call her GC – sat my home group down for catch up.)

GC: “So how was the seminar?” (Everyone goes around the circle.) “What about you, [my name]?”
Me: “Honestly I can’t think of anything good right now. I mean, there were good things, but today I was harassed by two guys and I don’t really feel comfortable here anymore.”
Friend #1: (Note that this is one of the guys who hugged me and helped me calm down) “I saw them talking to you earlier. Don’t worry, they were creeps. You handled it well. I’m sorry it happened to you, and you know we’re all here for you.” (Cue in my whole group nodding and humming in agreement.)

(That friend later left the group, sadly, but I hope I’ll get to see him in future seminars. And I certainly hope I won’t see those two creeps again.)