Good morning, America. If you're reading this, you're alive, which means you've likely read up on the results of last night's election. Throughout the election cycle, I did a good job of biting my tongue on social media, and in situations where I knew my thoughts wouldn't be supported. I liked the occasional political Facebook post, and I tended to tweet more about my thoughts. But I've been silent for far too long, and now I'm going to put all of my ideas on the table at once. Regardless of your feelings on last night's results, I have some things I'd like to address regarding people's responses to the election.
First, and this is the most annoying one: stop comparing the election to the World Series. Yes, this has been something I've seen and heard about this morning. "I went to bed early to avoid watching the ending of the Cub game and the election. I'm just glad they're both over." For the first time in 108 years, the Cubs have won a World Series. They celebrated in the streets after overcoming over a century of losses. The election is nothing like that. We have not overcome anything. In fact, we have taken a century's worth of steps backwards, to where we live in a world that my closest friends and I are honestly terrified to even be alive. I fear for my safety as a woman. My friends fear their safety as being gay. Other friends fear their safety as being black. And some fear their safety for being all of the above. To compare baseball to this election is inherently putting yourself in a place of privilege. To say that you care the same about the World Series as you do about the election tells me that you are self interested and have no interest in keeping those around you safe.
Second, to the 15,000 people who wrote in votes for Harambe: how dare you. We are now staring in the face of four years of oppression and hatred because you wanted to be a meme. Harambe is dead. He was a gorilla. Yes, the situation was sad. But it was six months ago. Let it go. Because 15,000 of you were ignorant and thought that your vote was worth more for a dead primate, you are a major part of the problem. Shame on you.
Third, to the third party voters: I understand some of you didn't like either candidate. That's fine. You are entitled to not like either party. But let's play a game of "Which is Worse?" featuring my favorite funny man, Seth Meyers. Yes, it is fast and hard to listen to, but that is exactly the point. When you're comparing Clinton and Trump, there was a clear winner. Gary Johnson and Jill Stein won a combined 4% of the popular vote, and absolutely no electoral votes. Did you honestly think your votes for either of these two people were enough to get them the win? No. I'm not going to tell you your vote was wasted, but I'll let you come to that conclusion on your own.
Fourth, to my dear friends, and even those I don't know: I am here for you. I am an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. I understand and sympathize with black people who woke up feeling cheated and wronged this morning. I stand with the women who are terrified of what this means for the handling of sexual assault, abuse, and rape. I believe that your religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sex, gender, etc. should not make you feel afraid when you leave your house every day. I am here for you. Please do not feel alone. Hug your friends a little tighter today, and I hope you find peace in their company.
Fifth, to those who voted for Trump: that was your right. You had the right to vote for who you thought would be best for president. I will respect your right to vote. But now I want you to go find your friends and relatives who fall into any minority category; women, Muslim, African American, Hispanic, Trans, LGBTQ+, etc. and tell them why they don't mean anything to you. And before you tell me that "not all Trump supporters are racist and sexist," I'm going to tell you that you knew those were his platforms. He was not shy about his beliefs. You knew that he mocked a disabled reporter, you knew that he said to grab women by the pussy, you knew that he told the world that he would f*** Ivanka if she wasn't his daughter, you knew the KKK endorsed him. To that, I say that because you voted for him, you voted for sexism, racism, homophobia, and hatred.
And finally, my own thoughts: my candidate lost, and I am upset. However, I knew someone was going to lose. I just never dreamt that I would wake up one morning to see that the majority of my country rejoicing in so much oppression. Today, I want to run away to a different country. But today I also know that running from problems won't fix them. As I sit in my apartment with my three female roommates in stunned silence, I know that we're all afraid. I know that this election and the next four years will be written into history books by both men and women, statistically some of whom are in my same position. But I also know this: I am a nasty woman, and nasty women will get shit done. So do not think that because I am currently afraid that I will back down. I will only get nastier, and I can assure you that an election of pure hatred will not happen again while I am alive.
