Aussie's horrific train ride exposes huge problem (2025)

A gay man who was targeted in a verbal attack on a train says it shows hostility toward homosexual people still thrives outside more tolerant inner-city areas.

Ky Stewart took to TikTokto explain how moving from Sydney's inner west back out to the western suburbs had brought with it an unnerving sense of animosity toward gay people.

He was visibly emotional when describing an incident that was an unwelcome 'homecoming' to Sydney's west, where he grew up.

'Some guy was sitting on the train and I was literally minding my own business as I do on the train. I was reading with AirPods in but wasn't playing any music,' he said.

'This guy came on and I knew kind of right away. I think a lot of queer people have this sixth sense that they can sense when someone's probably not, like, ally.

'I just got this odd vibe and I didn't look at this guy and he sprawled himself across the seats from me so he was facing me with his legs up on the seat and I was like, I'm just going to keep reading.'

Then the man unleashed a verbal barrage of disgusting taunts.

'Out of nowhere, I just hear him go, "p***ter, p***ter, you f****g p***ter",' Mr Stewart said.

'I didn't look up because I was kind of shocked and I just felt my heart beating so intensely and I probably went white. He just kept saying, "p***ter, you p***ter, you f***ot".

'Then he was like "I hate f***ots"and then he spat at me, then he yelled out to everyone on the train that this person's a p***ter.'

Mr Stewart said he did not react because he did not want the situation to escalate to a physical fight, but resented how the incident made him feel.

'I grew up in western Sydney, this is my home and I should feel like I belong here. I deserve to feel like I have a place here,' he said.

'It just makes me feel so unsafe for someone to feel so violently towards me. And I'm under no illusions that people have these opinions of queer people.

'I have experienced explicit homophobia but I haven't experienced it in a long time. I'm so rattled by it and I don't feel safe here anymore.'

Mr Stewart's video attracted nearly 1,600 comments with most empathising with him.

'As a western Sydney queer, I'm so sorry you had to experience that. We shouldn't have to feel like this on public transport, especially in the place we grew up. Sending love,' one person wrote.

'This is a hate crime. I am shocked but not surprised. Sorry that no one was able to stand up for you. I hope they catch this individual and hope you made the same report to police,' another said.

While many commenters highlighted the anti-gay attitudes that thrived in highly multicultural western Sydney, others said it went beyond that area and the communities that lived there.

'So many of you are missing the point. This has nothing specifically to do with western Sydney and the racist implications some of you are silently or indirectly making,' one wrote.

'This is comparing the very open and safe inner west verses outer suburbs.

'I'm so sorry this happened to you and thank you for your bravery in sharing.

'People are being pushed out of safe spaces and it's so unfair to feel like this in your home.'

SydneyTikTok

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