Donald Trump is going to be the next president of the United States, I type that sentence with shaking hands and a heavy heart. I can truly say I am shocked and I am scared. I am not scared because Trump will hold the highest office in this country (though that does terrify me), I am scared because half of the country voted for him. Half of this country voted against women, and the LGBTQIA+ community, Muslims and all other minorities. Half of this country went to vote and voted for a man who ran on the platform of sexism and racism and if you don't think that those are still a problem in this country, then you are a white man.
The day after the election, many Muslims were advised not to wear their hijab in public. They were told that Allah would understand, just be sure that they stay safe. Women felt the need to stock up on pepper spray because our president has not only openly admitted to sexually assaulting but bragged about it. LGBTQIA+ people were scared that they would be forced into conversion therapy, a practice that has been the cause of thousands of suicide attempts within the community. The country is scared. And we should be.
Millions of people are facing the risk of deportation, an entire religion is at risk of not being able to enter this country. People of all genders other than male and female are facing the risk of being forced to conform to their biological sex (another practice that has caused thousands of suicides and suicide attempts within the community) . Women are facing the risk of losing the right to make decisions about their own bodies. The night of the election crisis and suicide hotlines were the busiest they have been since the 9/11 attacks. There have been disliked presidents elected before, but never has there been a president that made people scared to leave their homes and admit their sexuality, gender, religion, or race.
In history, anytime we have seen the worst humanity has to offer it has been combatted by the best humanity has. When people owned slaves, that was met by people helping slaves to escape. When Hitler came to power, people found refuge in surrounding countries and many risked their lives to save them. This is bad, this is a scary time to be anything other than straight, cisgender, white, and male. But, people have come together to defeat worse, we can make it through a Trump presidency, but only if we do together. If the government won't protect women from sexual assault, protect them yourself. If the government won't acknowledge the validity of the LGBTQIA+ community, validate and accept them yourself. If the government won't stop making an entire religion out to be terrorists, acknowledge their peacefulness yourself. If the government won't protect us, we will protect each other.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
