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American Suburbs Are a Horror Movie and We're the Protagonists

Walking alone to the grocery store is, for me, like walking through a creepy hallway at night. Why? Because America is filled with liminal spaces.

You can probably see where I’m going with this, so I’ll come right out and say it: The other reason I was afraid is because I am a young woman, small in stature, and I have a spinal condition that restricts my movement and ability to defend myself. In fact, I did have an experience once abroad where a man cornered me outside of my hostel and started getting aggressive, and I had to leave and ask someone down the street to walk back with me, in case my harasser was still there. I want to live a life without fear, where I can be a full and active member of the community, without restraint—or, at least, where I can walk to the grocery store without feeling like a character in a horror movie.

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