AT THE SPEED OF NOOR

While commuting home on the LRT earlier, there were 2 men standing in front of me, animatedly talking to each other. They were so engrossed in their conversation that the man standing directly in front of me kept leaning back and came in close contact with me (even slightly touched me a few times). It probably wasn't intentional on his part, but it made me very uneasy so I kept inching back, but I couldn't go far because there was a pole behind me. Seeing me looking uncomfortable and casting glances at the two men, a man close to me spoke up and told the guys that I was behind them, which made them move further away. To everyone (especially those with more privillege) who step in to help those who are afraid/unable to speak up in these kinds of situations, from the bottom of my heart, keep being awesome. It's the least all of us could do to be better members of society, but not many would care enough to do it, so thank you.

Yesterday I had to take an Uber to get me from PJ to an LRT station around midnight, where I parked my car. My Uber driver was a masculine person (perhaps a trans man?), and we had some small friendly chat along the way. When he was dropping me off at the dark car park, he said he'd wait until I started the engine before he leaves. The only other Uber driver who was kind enough to offer this, and not just speed off leaving me alone, was an old man (he said he wouldn't want his daughter to be left alone in such a dark place). I think it says something about our society that out of the many e-hailing drivers who have driven me late at night (mainly Malays, and all men), only two actually cared about my safety at night: a gender-ambiguous Malay person who was probably raised as a girl, and an Indian uncle who is a father.