Sorry to hear that you had to go through such a harrowing experience, Isha, and in the middle of town, on a Sunday, and in broad daylight to boot. But on the flip side, had this happened in some desolate, dark alley the outcome could have been much different, so there is a silver lining here. I am also encouraged by the fact that despite this severe blow to your ego, physical being, and otherwise sunny optimism, you choose to see the glass as being half full and put more weight on the actions of these Good Samaritans as opposed to the cowardly thugs who assaulted you when you reflected back on this incident. As the German philosopher Nietzsche once put it "That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger", and you are living proof of that dictum.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but with you living in Ottawa at the epicenter of "Harperland" and the institutionalized "meanness" that our country has been subjected to over the last several years - along with strong Federal governmental push-back on the expansion of LGBT rights - somehow I can't help but think that this mindset was a contributing factor in these punks giving themselves "permission" to single you out for their transphobic attack.
