"If that he/she doesn't shut its mouth, I'll shut if for him"

"That's a tranny" - that's how they describe me in front of all the passengers on the 11:15am bus ride home. Passengers who wisely and politely keep their heads down and pretend nothing is happening. And 10 times out of 10 - not 9 - it's from members of the local Travelling Community. But you can't say that now. No, that's racist.

They comment on my appearance "look at the man hands on it!" "It's hair is nicer than mine", "If that he/she doesn't shut its mouth, I'll shut it for him!" - that's what some coarse sounding young woman shouts with venom down the bus to her two male friends as she continues to refer to me as something less than human. Like I am somehow impeding on their human rights.

These are the words spoken about me by members of the travelling community, time and time again. The latest incident, occurring this morning. Words spoken about me, not to me, because they don't speak directly to "it" - but about me as I/"it" try to mind my own business.

This is an issue that I have been repeatedly shouted down from talking about. That I've, ironically, been labelled a "bigot" by liberals for daring to broach the topic. Liberals who have no idea what it's actually like to be discriminated against, never mind on a regular basis. In these extremely idealistic liberal eyes: the people abusing me are the minority, the downtrodden, the victims of society - not me. No, how could I be. I speak well, and although not well-educated and am all the same literate. So no, I can't say that there is a problem in the travelling community with homophobia and transphobia - no dear God, no. I mean, just because it always happens to be travelers. No, I can't say that. And if I do speak out, the reply I most often receive: "Well, they just need education." Yeah, that's great and all, meanwhile I'm sitting by the window on a bus, shaking with fear for my physical safety - forget my sense of humanity and dignity, 'cause they were both thrown under the wheels a long time ago.


So what's to be done. **** all. We are back to "Educate them" again, are we? Whatever. I'm sick of hearing that. I'm sick of being intimidated, of being dehumanised and of feeling unsafe on and near public transport and just walking in my own home town. Where I grew up, and why I am known by these people.

All I can do is report this abuse to an LGBT Liaison Officer - again. I can't ask them to delve any further look into the matter; to officially warn these people. and forget about asking for charges to be brought against anyone. For it's all too obvious who would have "ratted" them out: The "tranny", of course.

So what do I do? Nothing. Have the incident recorded in a black book that does **** all in the long run? Another hate crime recorded for groups like TENI to wave around and hi-5 each other when they want to push another agenda through the Oireachtas.

Yeah, **** this...