flyering at the chinatown plaza
an older chinese woman looks at me
glances up and down / through me / then swiftly away
i recognize the fear that grows in the depth of her eyes
my body flinches as she reaches for her child
to firmly grasp her tiny bunroll arm,
even stands up to place her own body between us
an act to love and protect that child
From me.
everyone said it was weird
but no one called it by its proper name
— homophobia
Asian American Feminist 