Oh dear god.
I can’t believe I’m saying this: Donald Trump was just elected as President of the United States. Along with a large portion of America, I am absolutely appalled. More than that: I’m frightened, and I’m devastated. I am crying and yet I am numb. I can't even begin to truly process what this means.
There is a part of me that wants to flee the country. There is a part of me that wants to disengage entirely, and simply ignore it all; to hide in a cave and neglect to reemerge until 2020.
And then there’s the part of me that knows that, even if it were possible for me to become a Canadian citizen tomorrow, I would most likely turn the opportunity down. I love my country; my people. I could never abandon my home in our most vulnerable moment.
After all, I am privileged. I am cis-gender, white, middle class, and (as far as I know) straight. The only things I really have going against me are my gender, perhaps my spirituality, and the student debt I’m currently accruing. If anyone can afford to stand up and fight, it’s me.
I’m not calling for anyone to take up arms (please don’t). But we will have to stand together and protest every discriminatory policy proposed, every instance of corruption we witness, and every local politician who follows suit. We will have to work to eradicate the ignorance that has lead a large portion of our country to blame its issues on those deemed as “other”, rather than those in positions of power. We will have to inform our representatives of exactly how we feel.
To all my friends who are of color, LGBTQ+, Muslim, disabled, or of any other intersection: I stand with you. If you need someone to vent to this week (or month or year or lifetime), my ear is always available. I pledge to do what I can to protect and uplift you, and to respect your experiences and autonomy. And when I inevitably screw up, I pledge to do my best to learn from my mistakes and better myself.
To my male friends with perhaps fewer intersections: I hope you will support me, too.
For we know what the real America is. America is a vibrant conglomerate of cultures, ideas, and identities. America is young people of completely different backgrounds supporting one another.
We are America.
Together, we are beautiful.
Together, we will prevail.