I was always raised in an extremely open-minded household, and, as I've grown to understand how prevailing it is,hate has always confused me. I don't remember my mom and I ever really having a sit-down discussion about racism/homophobia/transphobia/misogyny. I just knew in my heart that people deserved to be able to love who they love, that discrimination was unacceptable, and that everyone, no matter how different they are deserves to have their existence accepted. I thought that was how the world worked. I was wrong.

I remember in the first grade, my two best friends (both girls) would always kiss on the bus, hold hands, and one day they even got married. As I was standing in their "wedding" as a bridesmaid, I casually made the remark "oh, are you guys gay?". I did not know that other households treated the word "gay" like a swearword, I did not know that homophobia was everywhere around me, I was just wondering if my friends were just pretending, or had actual feelings for each other. So, you can imagine my shock when me question was met with gasps, horrified faces, and threats to tell the teacher. That was the day I realized that everyone was not like me,and that hate was a very big issue.

I live in a very christian, very republican, and very conservative city in Michigan. I have never met a trans person, a Muslim, or a Jewish person, and I've met very few gay people, let alone anyone from the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. I sometimes feel ashamed to tell people that I'm a feminist, or that I disagree with their prejudices.Every day I'm surrounded by people talking about how being anything but straight is wrong, that "All lives matter", that abortion is murder and anyone who does it is awful and inhumane, that immigrants are stealing our jobs,etc. The world is so different than what I thought it was. Our president is practically the King of Hate, pumping it straight into people's veins, making them believe that banning people due to their religion, mocking a disabled reporter, and "grabbing her by the pussy" is okay. AND HE WAS CHOSEN, this isn't just some goon who got into office by "divine right", The United States of America literally ELECTED him. It's so disheartening it numbs me enough to wonder if it's even worth fighting for what I believe in at all, if a bully like him is managing to thrive.

It is worth fighting for. It's easy to pretend that everyone in the world is working against you during times like these, but not everyone is. There are plenty of people around me who are not going to let this hate prevail. January 21st 2017, hundreds of women, children, and even men marched in the sister Women's March on Washington in my small town. Three times more people marched in the original march than those who attended Trump's inauguration.Hundreds of protests have erupted all over America. People are rising up everywhere, screaming for their rights, and they will not be ignored. As a white woman, I recognize my privilege, and I will not let i go to waste. I will scream for every colored/ LGBTQ+/ Muslim/Jewish/etc. person out there. Just because you may not have had to face these problems and discrimination yourself, does not mean you can dismiss it. Hate cannot and will not prevail any longer. Children shouldn't think the word gay is a swear word, Muslims shouldn't be banned, Trans people deserve human rights, and BLACK LIVES MATTER. The world seems to be falling apart, and now is our chance to make our voices heard. Fight for peace, fight for love, and fight for humanity.