I’m sure you’re sick of reading opinion pieces on this election—but I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t write something about it.
This isn’t about “losing.” This isn’t a game. I’m, sadly, not entirely shocked about the outcome of the election. No, the last few years have prepared me for this possibility. What I am floored by and heartbroken about is the sheer number of people that were able to not only ignore but embrace racism, sexism, ableism, criminality and pure hatred. That half of our fellow citizens don’t find any of the above a dealbreaker. That half of them chose the possibility of cheaper gas and egg prices over their fellow humans’ rights to exist and to feel safe in this country. That half of them are ok with this being the example we set for our children. That 2016 was not a fluke, and that this is actually just who we are as a country.
There are so many topics during this election that are hugely important. I’m not even going to go into the impact this will have on public health, the environment, education, social security, etc.—the list goes on. But there’s one thing in particular that has been at the forefront and I’d be remiss not to touch on.
If you’re not a woman, it’s impossible to understand how it feels when half of the country is comfortable putting a rapist in the highest office. Comfortable knowing that future victims will not feel safe coming forward because they’ve seen that there are no consequences for abusers. Comfortable with taking your bodily autonomy—and healthcare—away. Comfortable with the most powerful person in the world saying he’ll do what he wants to women “whether they like it or not” and encouraging others to “grab ‘em by the pussy.” Comfortable with growing generations of men blindly following misogynistic influencers. Comfortable seeing those men comment things online like “your body, my choice” and “if the president got away with sexual assault, the rest of us can, too.”* Comfortable seeing signs on college campuses that refer to women as property and children wearing shirts reading “Trump vs Tramp.”
I’m allowing myself some time to grieve what I thought this country was. But I’m also allowing myself to find solace in the fact that another half of us do believe in fundamental human rights for all. That there are still many, many people that are safe havens. That this isn’t the end of our fight—it’s just the beginning.
*I read this one in Laura Bates’ book, Men Who Hate Women, on the rise of misogynistic extremist communities online. It’s a terrifying read, but an important one.
