This is really happening. This is the next four years, possibly even eight because at this point, anything is possible. I was about to start this post with, "The dust has settled, and reality is finally sinking in," but that would be a lie. A. The dust is not settling, but instead is being kicked up by protesters on the left, right, center, and everywhere in between. White supremacists are vandalizing property with swastikas and other Nazi symbols and words of hate. Democrats across the country are chanting, "Not my president!" while blocking the streets. Anarchists are co-opting peaceful protests to destroy property. I'm not sure how effective any of this is anymore. We had a chance. We had our say. Just under half of you decided to stay silent, so we lost. (I will take this time to bring up the fact that just under half the country didn't vote, so I'm 100% positive some of these protesters didn't think it was important enough to have a say in who ran our country until after the democratic process was over. I won't take this time to go into just how infuriated I am at people who claim to be on the side of love, acceptance, tolerance, and unity but find themselves above the political process. If you're mad now, but you didn't say anything while it was happening, while the country was listening, while you had the chance, I'm not going to bother shaming you; I'm only going to ask you to do better. I can't help but read your silence as complicity in my oppression. Please prove me wrong.)
I used to be friends with someone who posted on Facebook yesterday a video from Flashdance with a caption saying something to the extent of, "#TBT to when feminism was sexy." I say "used to be friends with" because our friendship ended somewhere in the middle of this election season because he supported Trump, and we just couldn't reconcile our differences. This is not to say I cannot be friends with whom I disagree politically. However, this goes beyond political differences. This is about basic human rights. Trump stands for the violation of those for many of us, and anyone's support of him is seen, by many of us, and I think reasonably so, as support for our oppression. In other words, I am not mad because my candidate lost; I am mad because we lost; humanity lost; love and unity lost, and oppression, bigotry, and I am hesitant to say hatred based on some articles I've been reading, but it's hard not to say hatred, won. And that is demonstrated by this past friend's post. His anti-woman, anti-feminist, sexist, and misogynist statement about the "sexiness" of feminism, or lack thereof, has been validated, nay, institutionalized, by Trump's win. People of color, immigrants, women, and other minority groups are being attacked in the streets as we speak because Trump won. One harassment quotation in particular has stuck with me since I heard it--a guy yelled something sexist to a woman in the street (I forget exactly what, but does it matter?), and after the woman ignored him, he said, "You have to say, 'Thank you,' now." Now. Now. It's that "now" that gets me. Now that what? Now that Trump has won the election. Now, things will be different. Now, women will thank men for their oppression and harassment. Now, women will return to the home. Now, women will accept their place. Now, things will be different. So to everyone telling us to "calm down," quit our "temper tantrum," and "get over it" because things won't be the apocalypse of which we're afraid, explain to me what that "now" means? How does it not mean exactly that of which I am afraid?
"America is more sexist than it is racist, and it's really fucking racist." I've been hearing a lot of jokes similar to that sentiment lately. I'm not mad that they're jokes. I understand the value of humor within tragic times, and I appreciate mirth as medicine. I want us to heal, and if we have to laugh to do so, then laugh we will. However, the sad truth is still there--America hates women. No, I'm not saying everyone who voted for Trump hates women, but I AM saying everyone who voted for Trump endorsed a candidate for leader of our country who DOES hate women. Oh wait, no, that's not fair. He loves women. He loves our bodies, our grope-able pussies, and our silence. He loves to objectify us, and if you endorsed him, you endorsed my, and possibly even your own, objectification.
You know what, while I'm at it, let's take a minute to discuss the fact that more white women voted for Trump than Hillary. I am ashamed of you, fellow white women, but I am not mad at you. I am enraged at the fact that white supremacy is so powerful even oppressed groups will vote for the candidacy of their oppression because why? Because it is safer than voting for a woman? Is being a woman still so threatening and scary that it is safer to support your own oppression than to stand up for someone in your own class? I am not mad at you; I am mad at the white, male supremacy that has infiltrated into your thought process and convinced you that voting for a bigoted, inexperienced, white man is safer and smarter than voting for an experienced, qualified, passionate, yet composed woman. And don't tell me this isn't about her being a woman. Hand me two resumes without names on top, and I'll point to the more qualified candidate without a moment's hesitation--Hillary Rodham Clinton. If Hillary had been a man, she probably would've won. Don't believe me? Take a minute and check out your Bernie Bros' pages. They're all sharing posts about how Bernie was the only candidate who could've beat Trump, and they're proud of that fact without even acknowledging the level of sexism inherent in it. If Hillary had been a man, she would've been won. I have zero doubt about it.
Yesterday, I mentioned some things in the works. Today, they are still in the works, but I promise I'll have some step-by-step, concrete actions plans soon. But for today, I just want to say, Thank you, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for everything you've done and continue to do for women, for our country, and for humanity. You have been a lifelong inspiration.
