Sam spat on due to make-up
AYOUNG comedian was reportedly called homophobic names and spat on for wearing make-up during a vile public attack.
Sam Serrano said they were travelling to a gig when a man approached them in an alleyway on Church Road, in Ormskirk, on Sunday.
The 20-year-old, who is gender fluid, said their attacker tapped them on the shoulder before hurling the abuse.
Sam said: “I was on my way to a gig and I felt someone tap me on the shoulder.
“I turned around and there was a man standing there.
“He called me a f **** t and spat at me.”
Sam was wearing makeup at the time and believes that is what prompted the man’s reaction.
There was a group of children who also witnessed the incident but Sam isn’t sure if they were with the man who is described as being between 30-40 and wearing a tracksuit.
Sam said: “It was upsetting but I wasn’t surprised by it.
“I get comments or snide looks in the street so often that it’s quite commonplace.
“What annoyed me most is that I wasn’t surprised it happened.”
Sam has been wearing make-up since age 17, but believes there to be a rise in homophobic incidents taking place not just online, but out in public.
As well as playing gigs in local comedy clubs for the past four years, Sam is also a final year student at Edge Hill University, studying primary education.
Sam hopes that by coming forward and speaking up about what happened it will serve to remind people that homophobic attitudes and hate crimes are not a thing of the past, despite more recent progress such as the legalisation of gay marriage.
Sam added: “It’s knocked my confidence as I had started to feel a bit more comfortable recently wearing make-up out and about, and it’s just knocked it straight back down.
“But It’s sad that I feel it’s so commonplace now that I wasn’t that shocked by what happened.
“I wear make-up in public as it’s just a part of my life, and I shouldn’t feel I have to change how I look in public to avoid that kind of thing.’’
“It should be those people making the change, not me.”