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Contents:
- THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A YOUNG GAY MAN MET STRANGERS ON AN ITALIAN TRA
- AMTRAK TRA BIGOT ACC GAY DADS OF BEG ‘PEDOPHIL’ WHO STOLE THEIR OWN CHILDREN‘VERY SCARED’ROBBIE PIERCE AND NEAL BROVERMAN AND THEIR CHILDREN ENDURED A VIC VERBAL ATTACK ON AN AMTRAK TRA, AND HOLD POLICIANS G ANTI-LGBTQ “GROOMG” RHETORIC RPONSIBLE.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 14, 2022 11:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 14, 2022 4:43PM EDT COURTY ROBBIE PIERCEON TUDAY, ROBBIE PIERCE, HIS HBAND NEAL BROVERMAN, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN—A 6-YEAR-OLD SON AND 5-YEAR-OLD DGHTER—TOOK AN AMTRAK TRA OM LOS ANGEL TO OAKLAND, WHERE BROVERMAN, THE EXECUTIVE EDOR OF LGBTQ PUBLITN THE ADVOTE AND EDORIAL DIRECTOR FOR PRT MEDIA AT PARENT PANY PRI, WAS HEADG ON A WORK TRIP. PIERCE, A SUBSTUTE TEACHER, AND THEIR CHILDREN WERE TAGGG ALONG. AROUND 10 HOURS TO THE JOURNEY, A MAN THEIR RRIAGE STARTED SHOUTG AT THE FAY, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR 6-YEAR-OLD SON CALV.“REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU,” HE SHOUTED AT CALV. “THEY STOLE YOU. THEY’RE PEDOPHIL.”IN A SERI OF TWEETS THE DAY AFTER THE CINT, WHICH WENT VIRAL, PIERCE RELATED HOW HE TOLD THE MAN TO GET AWAY OM HIS FAY. THE MAN RPOND: “FAY!? THAT’S NOT A FAY! YOU’RE RAPISTS. YOU STEAL BLACK AND ASIAN KIDS.” PIERCE AND BROVERMAN FOSTERED CALV WHEN HE WAS 2, AND ADOPTED HIM 18 MONTHS AGO; THEY ARE FOSTER PARENTS TO THEIR DGHTER, WHOM THEY BEGAN PARENTG A YEAR AND A HALF AGO (AND CLE TO NAME, BEE SHE IS A FOSTER CHILD).THE MAN NTUED TO SHOUT: “THE GUYS AREN’T NATURAL. HOMOSEXUALS ARE AN ABOMATN. THEY STEAL AND RAPE KIDS.”PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT HIS CHILDREN HAD EXPERIENCED TRMATIC EARLY UPBRGGS, AND SO THIS VLENT VERBAL ABE WAS PECIALLY TERRIFYG. THE CHILDREN CRIED, AND WANTED TO “PRACTICE SCREAMG LOUD ENOUGH FOR HELP TO E,” HE SAID. PIERCE LATER DISVERED THAT “REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU” REFERRED TO WHEN THE MAN HAD IALLY APPROACHED CALV AS THE LTLE BOY WAS GOG TO THE TOILET ON THE TRA EARLIER THE DAY—AND TOLD HIM PRIVATE WHAT HE VICLY SHOUTED AT THE FAY UN HOURS LATER. CALV HAD BEEN PROUD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM ON HIS OWN, THEN LATER THE JOURNEY HAD BEEN TOO TERRIFIED TO RETURN, WHICH HAD PUZZLED PIERCE. IT WAS BEE HE HAD BEEN NONTED BY A TOTAL STRANGER SAYG THE WORDS ABOVE ABOUT HIS PARENTS.PIERCE IS PARTICULARLY ANGRY WH REPUBLIN POLICIANS LIKE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE AND FOX NEWS HOSTS WHO HAVE BEEN G ANTI-LGBTQ LANGUAGE AROUND “GROOMG” THEIR LATT OBSSIVELY PURSUED CULTURE WAR AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND TRANS YOUTH PARTICULAR.THE MAN WAS EVENTUALLY REMOVED OM THE TRA AT SAN JOSé’S DIRIDON STATN BY POLICE, AFTER IALLY REFG TO DISEMBARK. AMTRAK HAS SCE TOLD THE UPLE THAT, PIERCE’S WORDS, “THEY’RE TRYG TO PUT THE MAN ON A NO-TRAVEL LIST,” BUT THE PANY DID NOT RPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUTS FOR MENT OM THE DAILY BEAST ABOUT THAT, THE CINT SELF, OR WHAT CHARG, IF ANY, THE MAN WILL FACE.IN A STATEMENT SENT TO BUZZFEED NEWS THURSDAY, AN AMTRAK STATEMENT READ: “WE APOLOGIZE TO THE FAY ONBOARD WHO WERE VOLVED THIS HEO CINT. AMTRAK STRONGLY NMNS THIS ACT OF HATE AND WILL NDUCT A FULL VTIGATN TO ENSURE OUR CTOMERS FEEL VALUED AND RPECTED WHEN RIDG OUR TRAS.” “IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER THE CINT THAT WE DISVERED THE MAN HAD SPOKEN TO OUR SON WHEN HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM.”— ROBBIE PIERCE PIERCE SPOKE TO THE DAILY BEAST THE DAY AFTER THE CINT, AS THE FAY WAS TRYG TO RT AND REGROUP OAKLAND.“I HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE MAN AT ALL,” PIERCE SAID. “HE WAS STG BEHD ON THE TRA. WE HAD NOT BEEN PAST HIM. HE MT HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE PAST TO E THE RTROOM AND DG R.“OUR SON ED THE RTROOM A FEW TIM THE MORNG BUT NOT THE AFTERNOON. ‘IT’S SRY DOWN THERE,’ HE TOLD . IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER THE CINT THAT WE DISVERED THE MAN HAD SPOKEN TO OUR SON WHEN HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM. I ASKED IF THAT IS WHY HE HAD BEEN SRED TO GO DOWN THERE. HE NODD AND HUGGED ME.” PIERCE TOLD CALV TO ALWAYS SAY IF SOMETHG HAD SRED HIM, BUT HIS SON SAID HE HAD BEEN TOO SRED TO DO SO BEE THE MAN WAS STG SO CLOSE TO THE FAY ON THE TRA.“I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH MY SON EVEN UNRSTANDS OF THOSE WORDS,” PIERCE SAID.DURG THE VERBAL ATTACK, PIERCE TOLD THE MAN TO “GET AWAY” REPEATEDLY, REFG TO ENGAGE WH HIM; BROVERMAN, SAID PIERCE, CHALLENGED THE MAN’S POISONO WORDS, TELLG HIM THAT HE, PIERCE, AND THE CHILDREN WERE A FAY. (L TO R) ROBBIE PIERCE, CALV, AND NEAL BROVERMANCOURTY ROBBIE PIERCE “IT FELT VERY REAL, AND I WAS VERY SRED,” SAID PIERCE. “IT REMD ME OF THOSE TIM WHEN AGGRSN SUDNLY HAPPENS, AND FOR A SPL SEND YOU WONR IF THERE’S BEEN A MISUNRSTANDG, OR WHAT’S GOG ON. THEN YOU REALIZE. WHEN HE SAID ‘PEDOPHIL,’ I WAS LIKE, ‘OH, I KNOW WHAT THIS IS. HOMOPHOBIA.’ I THOUGHT THAT THIS MAN MAY LAY HANDS ON ME, AND THAT WILL BE THE PRICE I HAVE TO PAY TO KEEP MY FAY SAFE. SOME PEOPLE ONLE HAVE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE CLOCKED HIM ONE, BUT THAT WAS NOT AN OPTN. OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO VLENCE THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM, AND WE WILL NOT EXPOSE THEM TO THAT AGA. ALSO, WE DIDN’T KNOW IF THIS MAN HAD ANY KD OF WEAPON ON HIM, OR WHAT HE WAS PABLE OF.”AN ASSISTANT TRA NDUCTOR EVENTUALLY ME, AND THEN LEFT TO GET ASSISTANCE. THE FAY WAS LEFT TO NONT THE ABE ON THEIR OWN, AS “JT NTUED HAPPENG,” SAID PIERCE. HE MOVED THE BY-NOW CRYG CHILDREN AWAY OM THE MAN. AT DIRIDON STATN, PIERCE SAID STAFF TOLD THE MAN, WHO WAS BLACK, THAT HE NEED TO GET OFF THE TRA. “HE SAID WAS RACIST TO ASK HIM TO LEAVE THE TRA, THAT WE WERE RAPISTS, AND THAT HE WAS TRYG TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. ‘I’LL DIE BEFORE I GET OFF THIS TRA,’ HE SAID. THEN POLICE ARRIVED, AND WE TOOK THE CHILDREN AWAY OM THE WDOW SO THEY WOULDN’T HAVE TO SEE THE MAN AGA. AS SOON AS HE WAS OFF, THE TRA STARTED MOVG AGA.” CALV “WAS EXTREMELY TROUBLED AND WORRIED THE MAN WOULD ‘TRICK’ THE POLICE AND GET AWAY,” PIERCE SAID.THE TRA’S NDUCTOR TRODUCED HIMSELF, AND ASKED PIERCE AND BROVERMAN FOR A WRTEN STATEMENT TO GIVE TO THE POLICE. PIERCE SAID HE UNRSTANDS THAT AMTRAK STAFF MAY NOT BE TRAED CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND -LATN, BUT WONRS WHY TOOK HIM AND BROVERMAN TO ASK FOR HELP BEFORE PRENTED SELF. THE ASSISTANT NDUCTOR APOLOGIZED FOR THE SUATN NOT BEG HANDLED WELL, BUT AMTRAK SELF HAD NOT—AT THE TIME OF OUR TERVIEW—BEEN TOUCH WH THE FAY TO OFFER ANY OTHER KD OF EXPLANATN OR FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT, PIERCE SAID.BOTH CHILDREN HAVE BEEN THKG ABOUT THE CINT “A LOT SCE,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE HAVE ENURAGED THEM TO CRY AND TALK ABOUT . WE ARE TRYG TO UNRSTAND WHAT THEY UNRSTAND. MY SON SAID TODAY, ‘WOW, THAT GUY REALLY EAKED ME OUT YTERDAY.’ THEY BOTH HAD MISERABLE NIGHTS’ SLEEPS AND WERE CRYG. MY SON GETS PHYSILLY SICK WHEN HE’S STRSED AND WOKE UP THE NIGHT THROWG UP.”ON WEDNDAY, THE FAY NAPPED, RELAXED, AND TRIED TO ENJOY THEIR OAKLAND TRIP. PIERCE SAID HE AND BROVERMAN WERE DOG OK AND HAD A “GOOD SUPPORT TEAM” OF LOVED ON AND THERAPISTS. “IN A CRISIS SUATN, I GO TO MANAGEMENT MO AND HAVE AN EMOTNAL REACTN LATER.” THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE FACED ABE OR CRICISM ABOUT THEIR FAY; PIERCE TOLD THE ADVOTE THEY HAVE BEEN CRICIZED, AS WHE GAY MEN, FOR PARENTG A BLACK CHILD. HE ALSO SAID THAT ON A STREET AT HOME LOS ANGEL A MAN HAD AGA ACCED THEM OF KIDNAPPG THEIR OWN CHILDREN. THAT HAD FELT MORE “EXPOSED,” WH TRAFFIC DRIVG PAST THEM AND NO OTHER PESTRIANS AROUND. THE CINT ME TO AN END WHEN PIERCE PULLED HIS PHONE OUT AND TOLD THE AGGRSOR HE WAS ABOUT TO LL THE POLICE, LEADG TO THE MAN TO N OFF. “I AM MUCH MORE UPSET WH THOSE PEOPLE WH ANY KD OF POWER WHO A LCULATED AND SOBER WAY E THAT LANGUAGE AGAST . THAT’S WHO I HOLD RPONSIBLE.”— ROBBIE PIERCE “ON THE TRA WE FELT MORE SEEN, BUT NOT NECSARILY MORE SUPPORTED,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND, BUT WE DIDN’T FEEL ANYONE WAS REALLY STANDG UP FOR , EXCEPT—TO THEIR CRED—FOR TWO YOUNG WOMEN WHO STOOD UP AS WNS, MAKG SURE HE ULD SEE THEY WERE WATCHG HIM. AFTERWARDS, SEVERAL PEOPLE TOLD THAT THE CINT HAD BEEN AWFUL TO SEE, AND NOT EVERYONE WAS LIKE THAT GUY. IT WAS NICE FOR THE CHILDREN TO HEAR THAT AND UNTERACT WHAT THE MAN HAD BEEN SAYG. I N’T BEGDGE THEM FOR NOT STEPPG . IT WAS A IGHTENG AND UNEXPECTED THG.” YET ALSO REMD PIERCE OF THE TIME HE HAD STOOD UP WHEN A PERSON HAD VERBALLY ATTACKED A TRANS WOMAN, AND HE HAD TOLD THE AGGRSOR TO LEAVE THE WOMAN ALONE. “THAT PERSON THEN TURNED ON ME, BUT DOG THAT SHOWS PEOPLE SAYG THE THGS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS,” HE EXPLAED.PIERCE HOLDS THE POLICIANS AND OTHERS G THE LANGUAGE OF “GROOMG” RPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED ON THE TRA. “HE DIDN’T E OUT WH THAT RANDOMLY. IT WAS SOMETHG HE HAD HEARD AND WAS SAYG ,” HE SAID. “I AM MUCH MORE UPSET WH THOSE PEOPLE WH ANY KD OF POWER WHO A LCULATED AND SOBER WAY E THAT LANGUAGE AGAST . THAT’S WHO I HOLD RPONSIBLE. AS THE RHETORIC GETS WORSE, SO DO SUATNS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO ON THE TRA.” PIERCE REMAS “VERY ANGRY” THAT ANYONE WOULD SRE HIS KIDS BEE OF WHO HE IS.“IT IS UNNSCNABLE TO ME,” HE EXPLAED. “I UNRSTAND THE MAN WAS NOT ALRIGHT. HE MAY BE A LOT OF PA. BUT I ALSO WANTED HIM AWAY OM MY FAY. I WANT MY CHILDREN NOT TO HAVE TO KNOW THAT KD OF FEAR OR HAVE TO AL WH . I AM WELL AWARE OF THE RHETORIC G OM POLICIANS STAT LIKE TEXAS AND FLORIDA WHERE THEY ARE PASSG ANTI-LGBTQ AND ANTI-TRANS LAWS. “I FEEL LIKE WE LIVE A PRIVILEGE BUBBLE CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE DON’T HEAR THAT OM OUR ELECTED REPRENTATIV. BUT A LOT OF THAT BUBBLE BURST ON THAT TRA. WE REALIZED THE ‘GROOMER’ RHETORIC DON’T JT STAY THE PLAC ’S SAID . EVEN THOUGH THOSE PEOPLE ARE A MORY CALIFORNIA, ’S HERE TOO. PEOPLE ARE SPREADG THIS RHETORIC ON PURPOSE TO HELP THEMSELV. IT’S NOT BASED REALY. IT’S NOT LGBTQ PEOPLE ABG CHILDREN. IT’S THE MOST NSERVATIVE PILLARS OF OUR SOCIETY.” (L TO R) NEAL BROVERMAN, CALV, AND ROBBIE PIERCECOURTY ROBBIE PIERCE THE FAY STILL PLAN TO TAKE THE TRA BACK TO LOS ANGEL A FEW DAYS. AT LEAST, PIERCE SAYS, GIVEN THEIR CHILDREN’S DIFFICULT EARLIER LIV, HE AND BROVERMAN HAVE HAD TRAG HOW TO AL WH TRMA, AND HAVE A GOOD PROFSNAL AND PERSONAL SUPPORT WORK ON HAND. THE OVERWHELMGLY POSIVE PUBLIC RPONSE TO HIS TWEETS HAS ALSO BEEN “THARTIC.” “HAVG NOT HAD ANYONE BE A BOLD ALLY THE MOMENT, ’S BEEN GOOD TO HAVE PEOPLE SHARG THEIR FURY AND FEAR, AND EXPRSG THEIR LOVE AND SOLIDARY,” PIERCE SAID. “IT’S ALSO BEEN NICE TO SEE PEOPLE SHARG TIPS ON WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE SOMEONE BEG HARASSED, AND HOW TO BAT THIS RHETORIC IF YOU EXPERIENCE THE WILD.”PIERCE AND BROVERMAN ARE TERMED NOT TO LET WHAT HAPPENED AFFECT HOW THE FAY LIV. “I DO REFE TO LET THIS CHANGE ,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE NOT GOG TO ISOLATE. THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT. THAT’S THEIR GOAL—TO GET TO STAY SI, KEEP OUR HEADS DOWN AND WILT, AND WE WON’T DO THAT. WE HAVE A FAY, AND WE’RE GOG TO LIVE PUBLIC. WE HAVE A CERTA AMOUNT OF PRIVILEGE. NOT EVERYONE N. BUT WE ARE ALSO NOT GOG TO THK OF THIS AS AN ABERRATN. THE KDS OF CINTS HAPPEN, THEY WILL NTUE TO HAPPEN, AND WE HAVE TO BE STRONG UNTIL THE DAY THAT WE, THE POLICIANS AND MEDIA FD A FIX. UNTIL THEN, WE WILL NTUE TO BE OUT THERE AND LIVE AS REGULAR PEOPLE, BEE THAT’S WHO WE ARE.” TIM TEEMAN
- WHEN HCHCK WENT GAY: ‘STRANGERS ON A TRA’ AND ‘ROPE’
- THE D TRA: WHEN BROMEDY MEETS GAY PANIC
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A YOUNG GAY MAN MET STRANGERS ON AN ITALIAN TRA
However, this trip is que origal and stands out om the standard gay cis, rorts, and ftivals that are typil of gay group travel general. Homosexuals are an abomatn. Homophobia.
” This was not the first time they have faced abe or cricism about their fay; Pierce told the Advote they have been cricized, as whe gay men, for parentg a Black child.
AMTRAK TRA BIGOT ACC GAY DADS OF BEG ‘PEDOPHIL’ WHO STOLE THEIR OWN CHILDREN‘VERY SCARED’ROBBIE PIERCE AND NEAL BROVERMAN AND THEIR CHILDREN ENDURED A VIC VERBAL ATTACK ON AN AMTRAK TRA, AND HOLD POLICIANS G ANTI-LGBTQ “GROOMG” RHETORIC RPONSIBLE.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 14, 2022 11:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 14, 2022 4:43PM EDT COURTY ROBBIE PIERCEON TUDAY, ROBBIE PIERCE, HIS HBAND NEAL BROVERMAN, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN—A 6-YEAR-OLD SON AND 5-YEAR-OLD DGHTER—TOOK AN AMTRAK TRA OM LOS ANGEL TO OAKLAND, WHERE BROVERMAN, THE EXECUTIVE EDOR OF LGBTQ PUBLITN THE ADVOTE AND EDORIAL DIRECTOR FOR PRT MEDIA AT PARENT PANY PRI, WAS HEADG ON A WORK TRIP. PIERCE, A SUBSTUTE TEACHER, AND THEIR CHILDREN WERE TAGGG ALONG. AROUND 10 HOURS TO THE JOURNEY, A MAN THEIR RRIAGE STARTED SHOUTG AT THE FAY, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR 6-YEAR-OLD SON CALV.“REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU,” HE SHOUTED AT CALV. “THEY STOLE YOU. THEY’RE PEDOPHIL.”IN A SERI OF TWEETS THE DAY AFTER THE CINT, WHICH WENT VIRAL, PIERCE RELATED HOW HE TOLD THE MAN TO GET AWAY OM HIS FAY. THE MAN RPOND: “FAY!? THAT’S NOT A FAY! YOU’RE RAPISTS. YOU STEAL BLACK AND ASIAN KIDS.” PIERCE AND BROVERMAN FOSTERED CALV WHEN HE WAS 2, AND ADOPTED HIM 18 MONTHS AGO; THEY ARE FOSTER PARENTS TO THEIR DGHTER, WHOM THEY BEGAN PARENTG A YEAR AND A HALF AGO (AND CLE TO NAME, BEE SHE IS A FOSTER CHILD).THE MAN NTUED TO SHOUT: “THE GUYS AREN’T NATURAL. HOMOSEXUALS ARE AN ABOMATN. THEY STEAL AND RAPE KIDS.”PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT HIS CHILDREN HAD EXPERIENCED TRMATIC EARLY UPBRGGS, AND SO THIS VLENT VERBAL ABE WAS PECIALLY TERRIFYG. THE CHILDREN CRIED, AND WANTED TO “PRACTICE SCREAMG LOUD ENOUGH FOR HELP TO E,” HE SAID. PIERCE LATER DISVERED THAT “REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU” REFERRED TO WHEN THE MAN HAD IALLY APPROACHED CALV AS THE LTLE BOY WAS GOG TO THE TOILET ON THE TRA EARLIER THE DAY—AND TOLD HIM PRIVATE WHAT HE VICLY SHOUTED AT THE FAY UN HOURS LATER. CALV HAD BEEN PROUD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM ON HIS OWN, THEN LATER THE JOURNEY HAD BEEN TOO TERRIFIED TO RETURN, WHICH HAD PUZZLED PIERCE. IT WAS BEE HE HAD BEEN NONTED BY A TOTAL STRANGER SAYG THE WORDS ABOVE ABOUT HIS PARENTS.PIERCE IS PARTICULARLY ANGRY WH REPUBLIN POLICIANS LIKE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE AND FOX NEWS HOSTS WHO HAVE BEEN G ANTI-LGBTQ LANGUAGE AROUND “GROOMG” THEIR LATT OBSSIVELY PURSUED CULTURE WAR AGAST LGBTQ PEOPLE, AND TRANS YOUTH PARTICULAR.THE MAN WAS EVENTUALLY REMOVED OM THE TRA AT SAN JOSé’S DIRIDON STATN BY POLICE, AFTER IALLY REFG TO DISEMBARK. AMTRAK HAS SCE TOLD THE UPLE THAT, PIERCE’S WORDS, “THEY’RE TRYG TO PUT THE MAN ON A NO-TRAVEL LIST,” BUT THE PANY DID NOT RPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUTS FOR MENT OM THE DAILY BEAST ABOUT THAT, THE CINT SELF, OR WHAT CHARG, IF ANY, THE MAN WILL FACE.IN A STATEMENT SENT TO BUZZFEED NEWS THURSDAY, AN AMTRAK STATEMENT READ: “WE APOLOGIZE TO THE FAY ONBOARD WHO WERE VOLVED THIS HEO CINT. AMTRAK STRONGLY NMNS THIS ACT OF HATE AND WILL NDUCT A FULL VTIGATN TO ENSURE OUR CTOMERS FEEL VALUED AND RPECTED WHEN RIDG OUR TRAS.” “IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER THE CINT THAT WE DISVERED THE MAN HAD SPOKEN TO OUR SON WHEN HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM.”— ROBBIE PIERCE PIERCE SPOKE TO THE DAILY BEAST THE DAY AFTER THE CINT, AS THE FAY WAS TRYG TO RT AND REGROUP OAKLAND.“I HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE MAN AT ALL,” PIERCE SAID. “HE WAS STG BEHD ON THE TRA. WE HAD NOT BEEN PAST HIM. HE MT HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE PAST TO E THE RTROOM AND DG R.“OUR SON ED THE RTROOM A FEW TIM THE MORNG BUT NOT THE AFTERNOON. ‘IT’S SRY DOWN THERE,’ HE TOLD . IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER THE CINT THAT WE DISVERED THE MAN HAD SPOKEN TO OUR SON WHEN HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM. I ASKED IF THAT IS WHY HE HAD BEEN SRED TO GO DOWN THERE. HE NODD AND HUGGED ME.” PIERCE TOLD CALV TO ALWAYS SAY IF SOMETHG HAD SRED HIM, BUT HIS SON SAID HE HAD BEEN TOO SRED TO DO SO BEE THE MAN WAS STG SO CLOSE TO THE FAY ON THE TRA.“I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH MY SON EVEN UNRSTANDS OF THOSE WORDS,” PIERCE SAID.DURG THE VERBAL ATTACK, PIERCE TOLD THE MAN TO “GET AWAY” REPEATEDLY, REFG TO ENGAGE WH HIM; BROVERMAN, SAID PIERCE, CHALLENGED THE MAN’S POISONO WORDS, TELLG HIM THAT HE, PIERCE, AND THE CHILDREN WERE A FAY. (L TO R) ROBBIE PIERCE, CALV, AND NEAL BROVERMANCOURTY ROBBIE PIERCE “IT FELT VERY REAL, AND I WAS VERY SRED,” SAID PIERCE. “IT REMD ME OF THOSE TIM WHEN AGGRSN SUDNLY HAPPENS, AND FOR A SPL SEND YOU WONR IF THERE’S BEEN A MISUNRSTANDG, OR WHAT’S GOG ON. THEN YOU REALIZE. WHEN HE SAID ‘PEDOPHIL,’ I WAS LIKE, ‘OH, I KNOW WHAT THIS IS. HOMOPHOBIA.’ I THOUGHT THAT THIS MAN MAY LAY HANDS ON ME, AND THAT WILL BE THE PRICE I HAVE TO PAY TO KEEP MY FAY SAFE. SOME PEOPLE ONLE HAVE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE CLOCKED HIM ONE, BUT THAT WAS NOT AN OPTN. OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO VLENCE THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM, AND WE WILL NOT EXPOSE THEM TO THAT AGA. ALSO, WE DIDN’T KNOW IF THIS MAN HAD ANY KD OF WEAPON ON HIM, OR WHAT HE WAS PABLE OF.”AN ASSISTANT TRA NDUCTOR EVENTUALLY ME, AND THEN LEFT TO GET ASSISTANCE. THE FAY WAS LEFT TO NONT THE ABE ON THEIR OWN, AS “JT NTUED HAPPENG,” SAID PIERCE. HE MOVED THE BY-NOW CRYG CHILDREN AWAY OM THE MAN. AT DIRIDON STATN, PIERCE SAID STAFF TOLD THE MAN, WHO WAS BLACK, THAT HE NEED TO GET OFF THE TRA. “HE SAID WAS RACIST TO ASK HIM TO LEAVE THE TRA, THAT WE WERE RAPISTS, AND THAT HE WAS TRYG TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. ‘I’LL DIE BEFORE I GET OFF THIS TRA,’ HE SAID. THEN POLICE ARRIVED, AND WE TOOK THE CHILDREN AWAY OM THE WDOW SO THEY WOULDN’T HAVE TO SEE THE MAN AGA. AS SOON AS HE WAS OFF, THE TRA STARTED MOVG AGA.” CALV “WAS EXTREMELY TROUBLED AND WORRIED THE MAN WOULD ‘TRICK’ THE POLICE AND GET AWAY,” PIERCE SAID.THE TRA’S NDUCTOR TRODUCED HIMSELF, AND ASKED PIERCE AND BROVERMAN FOR A WRTEN STATEMENT TO GIVE TO THE POLICE. PIERCE SAID HE UNRSTANDS THAT AMTRAK STAFF MAY NOT BE TRAED CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND -LATN, BUT WONRS WHY TOOK HIM AND BROVERMAN TO ASK FOR HELP BEFORE PRENTED SELF. THE ASSISTANT NDUCTOR APOLOGIZED FOR THE SUATN NOT BEG HANDLED WELL, BUT AMTRAK SELF HAD NOT—AT THE TIME OF OUR TERVIEW—BEEN TOUCH WH THE FAY TO OFFER ANY OTHER KD OF EXPLANATN OR FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT, PIERCE SAID.BOTH CHILDREN HAVE BEEN THKG ABOUT THE CINT “A LOT SCE,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE HAVE ENURAGED THEM TO CRY AND TALK ABOUT . WE ARE TRYG TO UNRSTAND WHAT THEY UNRSTAND. MY SON SAID TODAY, ‘WOW, THAT GUY REALLY EAKED ME OUT YTERDAY.’ THEY BOTH HAD MISERABLE NIGHTS’ SLEEPS AND WERE CRYG. MY SON GETS PHYSILLY SICK WHEN HE’S STRSED AND WOKE UP THE NIGHT THROWG UP.”ON WEDNDAY, THE FAY NAPPED, RELAXED, AND TRIED TO ENJOY THEIR OAKLAND TRIP. PIERCE SAID HE AND BROVERMAN WERE DOG OK AND HAD A “GOOD SUPPORT TEAM” OF LOVED ON AND THERAPISTS. “IN A CRISIS SUATN, I GO TO MANAGEMENT MO AND HAVE AN EMOTNAL REACTN LATER.” THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE FACED ABE OR CRICISM ABOUT THEIR FAY; PIERCE TOLD THE ADVOTE THEY HAVE BEEN CRICIZED, AS WHE GAY MEN, FOR PARENTG A BLACK CHILD. HE ALSO SAID THAT ON A STREET AT HOME LOS ANGEL A MAN HAD AGA ACCED THEM OF KIDNAPPG THEIR OWN CHILDREN. THAT HAD FELT MORE “EXPOSED,” WH TRAFFIC DRIVG PAST THEM AND NO OTHER PESTRIANS AROUND. THE CINT ME TO AN END WHEN PIERCE PULLED HIS PHONE OUT AND TOLD THE AGGRSOR HE WAS ABOUT TO LL THE POLICE, LEADG TO THE MAN TO N OFF. “I AM MUCH MORE UPSET WH THOSE PEOPLE WH ANY KD OF POWER WHO A LCULATED AND SOBER WAY E THAT LANGUAGE AGAST . THAT’S WHO I HOLD RPONSIBLE.”— ROBBIE PIERCE “ON THE TRA WE FELT MORE SEEN, BUT NOT NECSARILY MORE SUPPORTED,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND, BUT WE DIDN’T FEEL ANYONE WAS REALLY STANDG UP FOR , EXCEPT—TO THEIR CRED—FOR TWO YOUNG WOMEN WHO STOOD UP AS WNS, MAKG SURE HE ULD SEE THEY WERE WATCHG HIM. AFTERWARDS, SEVERAL PEOPLE TOLD THAT THE CINT HAD BEEN AWFUL TO SEE, AND NOT EVERYONE WAS LIKE THAT GUY. IT WAS NICE FOR THE CHILDREN TO HEAR THAT AND UNTERACT WHAT THE MAN HAD BEEN SAYG. I N’T BEGDGE THEM FOR NOT STEPPG . IT WAS A IGHTENG AND UNEXPECTED THG.” YET ALSO REMD PIERCE OF THE TIME HE HAD STOOD UP WHEN A PERSON HAD VERBALLY ATTACKED A TRANS WOMAN, AND HE HAD TOLD THE AGGRSOR TO LEAVE THE WOMAN ALONE. “THAT PERSON THEN TURNED ON ME, BUT DOG THAT SHOWS PEOPLE SAYG THE THGS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS,” HE EXPLAED.PIERCE HOLDS THE POLICIANS AND OTHERS G THE LANGUAGE OF “GROOMG” RPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED ON THE TRA. “HE DIDN’T E OUT WH THAT RANDOMLY. IT WAS SOMETHG HE HAD HEARD AND WAS SAYG ,” HE SAID. “I AM MUCH MORE UPSET WH THOSE PEOPLE WH ANY KD OF POWER WHO A LCULATED AND SOBER WAY E THAT LANGUAGE AGAST . THAT’S WHO I HOLD RPONSIBLE. AS THE RHETORIC GETS WORSE, SO DO SUATNS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO ON THE TRA.” PIERCE REMAS “VERY ANGRY” THAT ANYONE WOULD SRE HIS KIDS BEE OF WHO HE IS.“IT IS UNNSCNABLE TO ME,” HE EXPLAED. “I UNRSTAND THE MAN WAS NOT ALRIGHT. HE MAY BE A LOT OF PA. BUT I ALSO WANTED HIM AWAY OM MY FAY. I WANT MY CHILDREN NOT TO HAVE TO KNOW THAT KD OF FEAR OR HAVE TO AL WH . I AM WELL AWARE OF THE RHETORIC G OM POLICIANS STAT LIKE TEXAS AND FLORIDA WHERE THEY ARE PASSG ANTI-LGBTQ AND ANTI-TRANS LAWS. “I FEEL LIKE WE LIVE A PRIVILEGE BUBBLE CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE DON’T HEAR THAT OM OUR ELECTED REPRENTATIV. BUT A LOT OF THAT BUBBLE BURST ON THAT TRA. WE REALIZED THE ‘GROOMER’ RHETORIC DON’T JT STAY THE PLAC ’S SAID . EVEN THOUGH THOSE PEOPLE ARE A MORY CALIFORNIA, ’S HERE TOO. PEOPLE ARE SPREADG THIS RHETORIC ON PURPOSE TO HELP THEMSELV. IT’S NOT BASED REALY. IT’S NOT LGBTQ PEOPLE ABG CHILDREN. IT’S THE MOST NSERVATIVE PILLARS OF OUR SOCIETY.” (L TO R) NEAL BROVERMAN, CALV, AND ROBBIE PIERCECOURTY ROBBIE PIERCE THE FAY STILL PLAN TO TAKE THE TRA BACK TO LOS ANGEL A FEW DAYS. AT LEAST, PIERCE SAYS, GIVEN THEIR CHILDREN’S DIFFICULT EARLIER LIV, HE AND BROVERMAN HAVE HAD TRAG HOW TO AL WH TRMA, AND HAVE A GOOD PROFSNAL AND PERSONAL SUPPORT WORK ON HAND. THE OVERWHELMGLY POSIVE PUBLIC RPONSE TO HIS TWEETS HAS ALSO BEEN “THARTIC.” “HAVG NOT HAD ANYONE BE A BOLD ALLY THE MOMENT, ’S BEEN GOOD TO HAVE PEOPLE SHARG THEIR FURY AND FEAR, AND EXPRSG THEIR LOVE AND SOLIDARY,” PIERCE SAID. “IT’S ALSO BEEN NICE TO SEE PEOPLE SHARG TIPS ON WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE SOMEONE BEG HARASSED, AND HOW TO BAT THIS RHETORIC IF YOU EXPERIENCE THE WILD.”PIERCE AND BROVERMAN ARE TERMED NOT TO LET WHAT HAPPENED AFFECT HOW THE FAY LIV. “I DO REFE TO LET THIS CHANGE ,” PIERCE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE NOT GOG TO ISOLATE. THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT. THAT’S THEIR GOAL—TO GET TO STAY SI, KEEP OUR HEADS DOWN AND WILT, AND WE WON’T DO THAT. WE HAVE A FAY, AND WE’RE GOG TO LIVE PUBLIC. WE HAVE A CERTA AMOUNT OF PRIVILEGE. NOT EVERYONE N. BUT WE ARE ALSO NOT GOG TO THK OF THIS AS AN ABERRATN. THE KDS OF CINTS HAPPEN, THEY WILL NTUE TO HAPPEN, AND WE HAVE TO BE STRONG UNTIL THE DAY THAT WE, THE POLICIANS AND MEDIA FD A FIX. UNTIL THEN, WE WILL NTUE TO BE OUT THERE AND LIVE AS REGULAR PEOPLE, BEE THAT’S WHO WE ARE.” TIM TEEMAN
Homosexualy.
While Ripley‘s homosexual unrton are certaly more blatant, there’s somethg fely there Bno’s tert Guy — part of may be social climbg, but part of may very well be sexual. The subtext isn’t an accint; the film’s screenwrer Authur Lrents was gay, as were both Granger and Dall.
What’s so fascatg about the queer subtext Hchck’s films is that he knew, as a director and a provotr, that makg the simple suggtn of homosexualy was enough to create unease, to raise the stak for both his characters and his dience. But never fear: A remptive, upliftg ncln of Oprah-que proportns is a mere ten mut D Tra fundamentally fails as black edy bee, apart om s central, morately homophobic twist, has nothg to offer except for a stereotypil bromedy plot (the nerd and the Hollywood star!
WHEN HCHCK WENT GAY: ‘STRANGERS ON A TRA’ AND ‘ROPE’
Its out-of-left-field twist remas jt that; the movie mak no effort to me for any eper meang than a kd of low-gra gay panic.