I live in a condo in #Kingston, Ontario, where my neighbours are predominantly white + retired. Because I've been going to surgery shifts starting at ~5am, I've been storing my bike in my apartment + bringing it downstairs in the mornings for ease. /1
Weeks ago, I was stopped in the lobby by an elderly white woman. She condescended to me, shaking her head 'no' and saying "oh no. A bike in the lobby? No." (This was how she greeted me.) She proceeded to ask my unit number, and told me she was going to report me. /2
It turns out that this is mandated by our condo board (or whatever). What sucked is that our management spoke to my roommate (a fellow Indian-girl med student) + let her know about the complaint. I had provided that woman with NO identifying information. /3
I had told her that my unit number was none of her business, that I lived here. Management reassured me that THEY didn't have a problem with me biking, but if a resident did, they had no choice but to talk to me. /4
I realize that this has everything to do w/outward appearance. That I'm a clearly identifiable resident in our building, so it doesn't matter if I keep my name/unit hidden, people will know who I am. Even if I even don't know who they are. /5
That my bringing a bike into the lobby ruined the 'image' our condo seeks to uphold. My roommate and I tread lightly through our building. We are unfailingly polite, have never paid our fees late. It doesn't matter. /6
We have worked so hard to make Kingston our home, but it's been (yet another) reality check to realize that our bubble of safety doesn't even extend to the halls of our building. /fin
