When I first woke up and heard the news that Trump had been elected, I cried. It was 8 AM that I sat at work with a heavy heart. My school campus was silently crying as we are a fairly liberal community with diverse students. Just the day before, I voted with confidence that this man cannot run my country. I was among many the day after the election chanting demands of freedom and liberty.
In the days following the inauguration, I protested with political pins and simply existing as a queer person. I also took the fight to social media, as many do. It was a hard choice to either delete Trump supporters in order to keep myself happy or to keep them on my friend’s list and hope that my statuses may educate them. I would like to believe that people can change. However, I often found Trump supporters attacking my posts and bashing liberal college kids, which I am.
I understand that when people tell me that I should set aside political opinions, they just want me to stop arguing. I refuse to set aside political opinions because in our current time, political issues do not just mean legalizing weed or where it is legal to park. Political issues that are debated are reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration rights, and many other civil rights issues. I cannot be quiet when someone is against something that I believe is morally correct.
If I cannot get through to Trump supporters by trying to educate them, I will not hesitate to cut ties. My civil rights are on the line in his presidency. The civil rights of my friends and peers are on the line. I must continue to be a feminist activist even outside of the crowds.
