You know who you are. You're the people who are looking at us Hillary supporters and calling us "cry babies." You say we're too liberal, that we're overreacting. I'm here to tell you, you're wrong, and we have every right to be upset about the election results. You’d be upset, too, if Hillary had been the winner. Notice I never said violent protesters are right to burn the American flag, I never called you racist, sexist, or stupid. So, don't get it twisted. Your candidate has said some things I would consider racist and sexist, and if you choose to rationalize that type of behavior with things he has said, you are a part of the problem. I'm going to say this once, because it has been a theme this week: Just because the issues we are upset about do not directly impact you does not mean they do not matter. As a woman I am outraged. What if I lose my healthcare rights? What if people starts thinking it’s okay to sexually assault me because the President elect said some “locker room banter?” People keep saying it's going to be okay, and there are already articles out saying Trump is going to keep Obamacare, do away with same sex marriage, and an exact plan for the first 100 days, well I can tell you as a journalist: Don’t believe everything you see online. We have no guarantees yet. I will say this, though. I understand why some of you voted for Donald Trump. You’re worried about our national security. You’re worried about Veteran rights. You’re worried about jobs in our country. Now, let me say this: Your issues matter. Again: Your issues matter.

So why don’t mine? I’ve worked my ass off since I was 16. I work 6 days a week and go to school full time. I pay rent, bills, and a car payment. If I can’t get my birth control for free, I won’t be able to afford it, even with how much I work. So to those of you telling me to “suck it up and work for it,” I already work for everything I have. Who are you to tell me that my concerns as a woman aren’t important? Look in the mirror and check your privilege, because if you were a lower to middle class woman in her early 20s, you would have the same concerns. Millions of women all over America depend on Planned Parenthood for regular health screenings and pregnancy assistance. That’s right; Planned Parenthood is more than abortions. They scan for cancers and diseases, and help women who are scared and alone during their pregnancies. Those women matter, and without Planned Parenthood, they will go without.

Same sex couples all over the country might lose their right to get married. After 8 years of fighting and seeing progress, what about their rights? But you aren’t getting married to someone of the same sex, so you don’t have to worry about that.

Immigrants seeking a better life are afraid to be here, even if they’re legal. But you aren’t an immigrant. Your ancestors were immigrants instead, so you don’t have to worry about that. You seem to have an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, and that is an example of ignorance. You call us ignorant because we can’t see the “real issues.” But they’re real to us. I know you’re reading that word, Ignorant, and thinking “Did she just call me stupid?” No, I said you lack the basic knowledge of a topic because you’ve chosen not to research it. You’ve chosen not to expand your understanding. That’s the difference between you and me. I’m not burning the flag or violently protesting, and you’re not attacking immigrants or vandalizing property, like some of the radical Trump supporters have been. But I am at least trying to understand your views. Give me the same courtesy and try to see where I’m coming from. People are afraid. Even if I have to scrape change for a pill every month I will do that, I’m more concerned that my basic human rights as a woman are being threatened. I’m more concerned that Trump, Pence, and the people they elect to help run this country view me, and some of my best friends and family as less. That is terrifying.

This being said, I sincerely hope Donald Trump’s behavior has just been a big misunderstanding. I hope it was all for show. I hope he takes this country and truly does make it great. I hope more jobs are created. I hope homeless Veterans don’t have to sleep on the streets or in shelters. I hope our nation can sleep peacefully at night, without fear of foreign or domestic enemies. I hope women like me can work the same job as a man and make the same amount. I hope we’re protected from unexpected pregnancy, and if we do experience pregnancy, I hope we have the healthcare to get through it, even if we don’t have the financial means to support a child. I hope our children have access to the education they need, including affordable opportunities for higher education. I hope we can all love who we want to love, and not be punished for it. I hope immigrants can again view our country as a safe haven, and an opportunity to better themselves. I hope we continue fighting climate change, because it is very real, and I hope you all read this and want the same things for our country. I can’t do anything to undo the election, but I can continue to be a voice, and fight for my rights, and the rights of everyone around me.