I’m a straight, white, cisgender, upper-middle class male. It’s safe to say I’m privileged, in every sense of the word. I’ve been blessed with good schools, good friends, and a supportive family. I’m fortunate enough to be afforded the opportunity to pursue higher education, and I’ve been lucky enough to not have to struggle with some of the mighty issues facing many of my fellow Americans.

But guess what? I’m a liberal. I particularly despise our current President, despite my demographics. According to USA Today, almost every demographic to which I belong tended to favor Donald Trump. Though younger voters tended to vote against him, whites, non-LGBTQ citizens, males, and those with some college experience (but no bachelor’s degree) each favored Trump against Hillary Clinton. The demographic groups that generally voted against him - women, minorities, the LGBTQ community - were targeted by Trump’s campaign. I was never directly targeted by Trump’s hurtful ideologies, but still, I rejected his message.

As far as economics are concerned, I’m not that informed, so I don’t like voicing an opinion on issues that I don’t fully understand - no matter how they might impact me. I tend to focus more on social issues, things that really affect people’s livelihoods. I grew up with a single mother, and she’s taught me a lot about seeing things from others’ perspectives. When evaluating a cause, I try not to see it from my perspective, but from an objective standpoint - for instance, though it theoretically would harm my chances of getting that big job, I support affirmative action to help level the playing field for those who have faced significant historical disadvantage.

To me, a lot of social issues are overly politicized by those afraid of different ways of thinking. When the Constitution was written, its writers declared that citizens had a right to their own way of life, including religion. Today, the church and state debate rages on like never before as “religious freedom” is championed when stripping the LGBTQ community of its rights while ignored when it comes to the rights of peacefully practicing Muslim Americans. Sure, the Founding Fathers had their tongues planted firmly in their cheeks when they proclaimed that “all men are created equal”, but come on, America. We’re better than this. Are we really going to act like the Framers of the Constitution were permanently right to grant us the right to bear arms, but they might have misspoken by granting non-Christians the right to practice their religions?

I think it’d be much better to respect the rights of all citizens to live life the way they prefer.