I feel for you in a manner of “I will never live your experiences, and I am truly saddened that you have to live them”. We recently had an outpouring of “arrest them, they should be shot on sight “ and multiple other threats against a woman who was snapping photos near a mall, while “dressed as a Muslim” except it turned out to be a teenage girl, taking selfies, wearing a burka. You’d think that would have changed the tune, but it didn’t. I have never been so ashamed of my community as I was then, the level of hate was heartbreaking.

I can not lie and tell you one day it will improve, that you’ll stroll carelessly through security and the middle aged cowboy beside you on the plane will warmly make small chat about your families and exchange humorous fatherhood stories- but I can offer this:

I fly about once every 5 years, less if I can help it, but if by chance we’re ever scheduled on the same flight- you’re more than welcome to swap the seat next to mine and know that the person beside you isn’t judging you- at least not for your skin. I mean, if you’re wearing crocs or on a Windows phone that’s a whole different story.