Rooster Tails

Sometimes I worry about holding Joe’s hand walking down the street. I feel worried that we’ll get shouted at or weird looks. So I hold back. But then I start feeling angry that I feel like that, so that makes me want to hold his hand even more, as a “I’m not going to indulge your homophobia” statement. But then I feel worried again. It usually results in my hand waving weirdly towards Joe’s, and then away again, as we walk down the street. I’m sure this doesn’t look weird at all, right?

The weirdest thing we’ve been yelled at has been “Get your hands off my sister” from a truck full of guys in the Octagon. So, yes, for future reference, “Fag” is best.

TRANSCRIPT:
Panel 1: (There are two hands, with palms pressed together, and fingers laced together. Below the hands is a caption, which reads:) When Joe & I walk down the street sometimes people yell at us.

Panel 2:
Person 1: DYKES!
Sam: (A person wearing a grey vest, a pale blue, collared shirt, and brown trousers, who is facing the viewer, but looking to the side. Eyebrows are raised, and pushed together, mouth is closed, with slightly downturned edges. Arms are by sides, with one hand holding Joe’s.
Joe: (A person wearing a pink undershirt, a green hoodie, and dark grey trousers, who’s body is facing the viewer, but who’s head is turned to the side, and who’s eyes are looking behind Sam and Joe. Eyebrows are raised and mouth is open. One arm is by Joe’s side, hand holding Sam’s, the other arm is bent up at the elbow, hand positioned straight up, open and flat, with fingers pressed together and thumb sticking out.) No, but we know many wonderful ones!
(Behind Sam and Joe is a low grey wall, above which is a green bush.)

Panel 3:
Person 1: Are you boys or girls?
Sam: (A person wearing an unbuttoned grey waistcoat, a brown t-shirt, which has a wide white, and a narrow black horizontal line at chest height, and a pair of dark grey trousers. Sam is facing the viewer, but is looking to the side, with lowered, pushed together eyebrows. Mouth is closed, arms are by sides, bent forward slightly at the elbows, with one hand in Sam’s pocket, and the other holding Joe’s hand. One leg is ahead of the other, indicating walking.)
Joe: (A person wearing a navy blue vest, a grey, collared shirt, the sleeves of which are rolled up to the elbows, and dark grey trousers. Joe’s back is to the viewer, torso is bent forward at the hips, arm is bent forward at the elbow, and hand is holding Sam’s hand.) Why should there only be two options?! The gender binary is nothing but social construction. If you must know, I identify as genderqueer, on the boy end of the spectrum, and my gentleman companion is a straight-up transman!
(The background is comprised of pale grey quadrilaterals, with darker grey strips between them, rather like an extreme close-up of brickwork.)

Panel 4:
Person 1: FAAGS!
Sam: (A person wearing a red-brown undershirt, a green cardigan, the sleeves of which are rolled up to the elbows, and brown trousers. Sam is facing the viewer, but looking at Joe. Eyebrows are raised, mouth is open, with very upturned edges. Arms are bent forward slightly at the shoulders, bent up at the elbows, and hands are flat against each other, at Sam’s chest height.)
Joe: (A person wearing a black undershirt, a purple sweatshirt, and grey pants, who is facing the viewer, but has eyes squeezed closed. Eyebrows are raised, and mouth is open, with very upturned edges. One arm is bent up at the elbow, the hand curled into a fist, with a couple of elbow shaped lines alongside Joe’s forearm, indicating movement. The other arm is bent straight up at the shoulder, and forward at the elbow, over the top of Joe’s head. This hand is also curled into a fist, and there are a couple of rainbow shaped lines by Joe’s upper arm, indicating movement.) Yay! That’s right!