~ i wrote ~

Outside Berghain — I’d arrived at the uncool hour of half-past midnight, as instructed by savvy locals — I joined the growing queue and tried to be cool about getting in, as instructed by same, until someone let me know that I was in the line for men, and I was escorted right through a side door designated for the lady-identified and waited no minutes at all be body-searched by a very tall non-binary German who did not think I was cute or interesting.