I resent much of what this new American administration has proposed; I don’t stand with them and I won't stand by and watch our democratic process be made into a joke. Overall, I have lost faith in our electoral process. The only people who I believe fairly represent the majority are being shut down in the US Senate and are being removed from the political conversation altogether.

From my perspective, I don’t feel valued, I don’t feel protected, and I see that becoming a reality for more and more Americans each day. With such an undeniable divide, both sides have found themselves going for the jugular and trying to take down the opposition. I’d like to believe that I come from the party that critiques people based on their policy and that we remain on the high road by relying on intellect and always remaining hopeful.

I do not like Donald Trump not because he enjoys a few more Trump steaks than the average person or because he chooses to wear a certain color or cut of a suit, but, instead, I do not like Trump because I disagree with his beliefs and loathe his lack of experience.

All throughout the 2016 campaign, the headline would read “Hillary wears ______ to symbolize ______”, but commentary continuously failed to highlight what was said and prioritized what was worn, not worn, and whether her choice was ‘presidential’ enough. This is something that is not done for men in the public eye; rarely is a man’s figure used against him in determining his worth yet it is more and more common that I see people close to me criticizing women in the public eye from a shallow, materialistic point of view. Of course, I know that this is nothing new, but, to put it plainly, I am sick of hearing that Melania Trump is a “prostitute”, “whore”, or “mail order bride”.

I will continue to believe that it is not progressive and most certainly not feminist to call another woman out for anything she chooses to do with her body. Melania Trump should not be the topic of conversation because she has posed nude; instead, what should be the topic of conversation is the undeniable hypocrisy that exists within the GOP when it comes to women in the spotlight, specifically – first ladies.

When Michelle Obama posed in a sleeveless dress, there was outrage including plenty of racial slurs thrown around online as if that is acceptable language. This seemed so outrageous to me at the time because, once I saw the lack of criticism Melania had received for her photographs, I knew the issue was not that either woman showed skin, it was the skin color that outraged conservative voters across the country.

I'll admit that I have found myself using Melania’s more explicit photoshoots against her at times, but I quickly realized that the end of this chain of hypocrisy isn’t to more punitively judge Melania for her decisions; it’s to stop talking about women’s bodies (or anyone’s, for that matter) as if they have any relevance to politics, policy, or public service.

I am voting for the person with the best intent, the sharpest mind, and the most experience – someone who can do the job, I don’t really care how they look doing it. Maybe this type of judgment is rooted too deep for us to recognize, but, as a people, we feel the need to question and concern ourselves with other’s choices as if one person’s decision directly threatens or affects our ability to make different choices for ourselves, and that’s simply not true. Melania’s choice to pose nude has no affect on your ability to make a different choice for yourself, and there are plenty of other things to concern yourself with.

This is increasingly common, in everything from politics to entertainment (which aren’t all that different, nowadays.) This can be seen as recently with the most recent Super Bowl: Lady Gaga gave an outstanding performance with raw, supporting vocals, daring stunts, and undeniable creativity and originality. However, less than 24 hours later, Gaga was already facing an online mess of body shaming, many neglecting to even mention the performance. Gaga bungee jumped off the top of the football stadium and put on an incredible 13 minute long performance, but it was her waist, stomach, and clothing choices were what many people were talking about.

We tell little girls to reach for the stars and then belittle them into adulthood by telling them that their respect and value is reflective of their dress choice and pant size. People are sick of this, boys and girls alike. I can only speak to my experience growing up gay and my self-conscious feeling like I was being shoved into every metaphorical ‘box’ before I decided that my body and sexual preference were among the least interesting thing about me. I realized that I had a lot more to offer the world and, as a result, I stopped thinking about ‘sex’ and ‘image’ as being a defining factor in my character. Once I accepted that, I was a lot more open, happy, and proud of my body. Quickly, I stopped trying to impose my idea of ‘acceptable’ on everyone else, remaining content with my choice of expression and newfound self-respect.

If you want to criticize Melania, then what you should be talking about is her status as an immigrant and how she should be standing up for people like herself who came to this country in search of opportunity. She, more than anyone, should see the irony in her position as first lady to President Trump, who’s anti-immigrant attitude has led us into difficult and emotional territory for millions in this country and around the globe.

Melania's body and her choice to express herself freely are not your concern. It is disparaging to all women who seek equality when you determine one person's worth by anything other than the content of their character. Freedom means that we all have the opportunity be ourselves and not be targeted for our individuality and, as we move into this next chapter of American history, we have the power to change our ways and live up to our potential as people.