Man yells homophobic slurs at Metro passengers in DC; Metro police investigating
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A Maryland couple is detailing the discrimination they faced while riding the Metro this weekend in Northwest D.C.
Mishka Espey and their partner were on their way home from a kickball game Sunday afternoon.
They hopped on a Red Line train at Dupont Circle on their way to Silver Spring. But when they got on the train, they said a man started yelling gay slurs at two men and their daughter.
“[He] started saying things about how everybody on this train should be disgusted that these men are raising this child with two dads and started calling them slurs and just like angrily, violently yelling at them,” said Mishka Espey.
Espey said they and their partner were shell shocked and scared.
“I just remember looking at the dads’ faces and seeing them just fall and it was really disturbing,” Espey said.
Espey’s partner took a video right after the incident which has been viewed 5.7 million times on the platform X.
“Me and my partner started yelling at him to just get off the train. I think we both in our heads were trying to distract him from the gay couple to give them time to leave,” Espey said. “Then he looked at us. He recognized us as a gay couple and started yelling at us.”
Espey said they appreciate more security throughout the system, but there were no officers or security guards on the train at the time.
“I have lived in D.C. for a year and a half now. It was my first time being called a gay slur, so definitely not a fun experience,” Espey said.
Espey said they were saddened to be the only ones on a crowded train to speak up.
“I think it’s just really important that people know that this is happening and that these things are happening at increasing rates and it’s scary and that we need to be looking out for each other and that people that are not LGBTQ or are not part of a minority group need to speak up for minority groups,” Espey said.
Espey said the Metro Transit Police Department have reached out to investigate after the post went viral.
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