I want to share a long thread about a bad reporting experience I had last night. I hope it reminds someone to be nice (maybe decent?) to reporters. Or, maybe it will help another reporter who wrongly blames themselves for getting stuck in a bad situation.

Last night, I was gathering votes at my local election's office for a freelancing gig. A group of individuals were in the media room with me (I was the only media person in the room). Some of the observers refused to wear masks. Others took them off.

(Despite being extremely cautious for months, I will now have to be even more cautious about going out or seeing my mom ((who has survived cancer and many strokes and is extremely ill)) because they didn't respect my health and safety.)

One man repeatedly accosted me about the "media's leftist agenda." His problem with me? I was sitting in the MEDIA room, wearing a MEDIA badge, having identified myself as PRESS very openly, and could be "listening in to his conversation."

I explained to them that I wasn't going to write gotcha piece with info I overheard, though I would pass along tips to my editor if they insisted on speak in front of me in a public room. (They were there for several candidates and their party.)

One man asked me where I went to college and said, “only pretty girls went to Texas State. The girls at UT are ugly." Then he said, “I have a story to tell you, but that would be inappropriate.” To which, I responded, “yes, it probably would be.”

Nonetheless, he told me multiple inappropriate stories. Most were about sex (though he didn't use explicit language), but at one point he said, "The 'n-word' doesn't bother me."

(I was mostly ignoring him, but had turned to confront him when I thought he said "n-word". He had said "m-word" ((meaning marriage)) in a story about how he cheated on women because he didn't want to get married.)

This man also told me we should help people in Hong Kong because they are the good "American Asians" who work hard. The implication was they were "the right kind of Asian" or "the right kind of people" to deserve help.

Early in the night, before my guard was up, one of the men asked me how many races I voted in. I naively responded. I figured he was asking because some precincts had significantly more runoffs, which I found interesting.

He was actually trying to figure out what party I voted in. I don’t make political contributions or make my political views public, but I believe reporters, like everyone else, have the right -- and civic duty -- to vote. He was trying to take that from me and call me biased.

They said awful things about several candidates. They called one woman, from their own party, a “slut.” They made fun of the Hispanic candidates' names.

There was probably more. I was there for almost eight hours. I’m sure the election officials would have gladly moved me if I asked, or my employer would have helped me. I didn’t ask. Maybe because I grew up hearing things like this in my home town.

Maybe because I grew such a thick skin working at a TV station where I often answered calls only to hear things like this — and worse. I just wanted to do my job. I didn't want to let them win by leaving. It was the MEDIA room, after all.

I just wanted to share this to hopefully remind someone to be nice to reporters. We don’t do this for glamour or money (two things I was accused of last night), and we aren’t covering elections to push our agenda.

Lastly, maybe be extra courteous to freelancers. At the end of the day, I work significantly harder to prove myself and to get people to trust/talk to me then I did as a staff reporter and I don't have the same type of support systems.

As a freelancer, I worry getting stuck in these situations might make me look weak or inexperienced. The job market is hard and the freelancing market is tight. I was worried they might smear me if I spoke up or offended them, and it might make my career harder and less secure.

I think even staff writers, especially young, women, BIPOC and LBGTQ writers, grapple with this. Being treated badly then being made to feel it is our fault. It's not. We deserve to feel safe. We deserve to make mistakes or not handle the situation perfectly.

Anyway, that's all. If anyone else has a shitty situation they want to talk about, or just wants to complain about being a reporter/freelancer, feel free to reach out to me. Especially students and young journalists. It's a hard job, but none of us are alone.