As a trans masc, myself, this is nauseating but not surprising. It's one of my growing fears as I come more into my own and begin presenting as more masculine. I know that the more ambiguous my apparent gender, the more dangerous life will become. And even assuming I could ever "pass" I'm still in the same community and have no plans to leave. I'm also visible and outspoken about ... so many ways in which I and others are different and OTHERED. So, anyone that wants to do violence to me has a pretty easy target for five or six different and documented reasons. That's a reality I'd managed to shove to the back of my monofocused mind.

This article drove that fact home to me so much more. It feels like something I needed to not only plan and keep myself safer, but to keep my head in the many games in which I have skin.

The most hurtful part of this is that Andrew sounds like a wonderful person and his attackers, both the shooters and the other neighbors, don't care. They don't care enough to see that but sure care enough to go out of their way--to risk jail and prison time--and do him harm. To keep him trapped in his house like a prisoner.

This was an informative and well presented reminder of so many things. And it's heartbreaking. I can't even really organize my thoughts yet. But thank you for writing this, for bringing it to wider attention. And thank you, Andrew, for being so brave and generous with sharing your story. You shouldn't have to be, but you are.