I've come to realize that acceptance is one of those "easier said than done" sorts of ideals. It's much, much harder to try and accept someone completely different from you are than it is to stay within your comfort zone and grow accustomed to those with similar viewpoints and opinions. With that being said, it's not completely impossible. Just hard.

It's been a tumultuous week, to say the least. I've seen (and also participated) in voicing my opinions about the election, debating with friends and family about the results. But over the last one or two days especially I've grown to start thinking about what happens from here, not just politically, but also what it means for us as American citizens in a collective sense.

I went to Duane Reade with my roommate around 9PM a few nights ago. We separated once inside. While I was looking at the various assortments of chocolate in the aisle and trying to decide what exactly I wanted, I noticed a man close by. He seemed to be intent on finding something so I didn't think much of it, but as I passed him he said "I like Asian girls. You're very pretty," and felt him grab my arm firmly without hesitation. My roommate happened to come by right as he let go and he followed us for a bit around the store, adding "Your friend's cute too" before we managed to get rid of him by standing in line.

The next morning I posted what had happened on Facebook, ironically adding "Just Women of Color Things ha ha" at the end. A few people messaged me afterwards, saying that I wasn't the only one who had been harassed recently. Could it be a consequence of the election results? Maybe. Had this incident occurred last week, I would still have been shocked, though I think I would probably have been angrier. Not that I don't feel angry now, but the current circumstances have me considering: those who have harassed and assaulted others before Trump won will continue doing so, perhaps even more vehemently. It's those who were quiet before, who were subtle in their ways of sexism and racism, that have been growing increasingly outspoken and comfortable with doing these things. I'm strangely surprised that nobody has told me to go back to my country yet, though that could be attributed to the fact that New York is generally more tolerant than other places (or at least I'd hope it is).

I worry about the safety of my LGBTQ peers, of my Muslim peers, of my undocumented and immigrant and female peers. I am fortunate to say that even though I do experience discrimination as a Chinese American woman, I will most likely never be called a terrorist or attacked for expressing myself. And that means that I, as a human being, need to look out for those who are less lucky with an increased vigilance. We must look out for each other. It's imperative that we do so. As long as some people remain under the impression that it's okay to assault and make others feel scared and ashamed, we need to be there for them now more than ever. The aftermaths of this election have taught me that.

I am all for acceptance. I understand that I would most likely never come to an agreement with people on certain issues, and that's fine. However, if expressing your opinion involves threatening the existence of those who are different that you are, I cannot say the same.