NOVEMBER 6, 2024.
*tw: sexual assault, abuse, death, etc.*
November 6, 2024.
I am sitting in my bed in my small New York City apartment, attempting to work remotely and be present in my meetings. Between every “how are you?” and “thank you for your time, talk soon!” I can’t help but wonder if everyone else has the same sense of impending doom looming over their heads.
Donald Trump has been elected the 47th President of the United States.
It rings in my head between every email and phone call today. The knot in my stomach grows bigger when I scroll through my social media feeds and truly see how divided our nation has become. I see videos of people crying. Clips of women stroking their infant’s heads while they drift off to sleep, fearful of what is to come. I see infographic after infographic about prioritizing mental health and the importance of staying positive on a day where we all may be feeling discouraged and disappointed.
For all of you who know me, I am not the most outspoken about political issues. I do not sit here, behind my screen, claiming to know every policy in our country, or the minute details of how every branch of our government works.
However, I will not stay silent when it comes down to my personal rights and freedoms. I will not be silent when I feel that the privileges of my fellow sisters, my future daughters, my Black and Asian and Latino friends, and my LGBTQ+ friends are at stake. I will not be silent when I can recall (with concerning detail) the terrifying experience of living 25 minutes away from Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, and the feeling of seeing my mother picking me up from school with tears in her eyes, having to explain to her two daughters why there were police officers patrolling their elementary school.
Even at 11 years old, I had empathy. I had the ability to understand that bad things should not be an expectation in the United States. Now, at 23 years old, I still wake up every day believing that all people, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and political affiliation should have the same opportunities to succeed, the same rights to do what they want with their own bodies, and the ability to live a fulfilling, comfortable life.
As someone who grew up in a very privileged New England community, I was surrounded by individuals who firmly believed that the many issues our government debates do not directly affect them. Ignorance was the norm.
When I submitted my absentee ballot, I was not simply voting for myself. I am a white woman. I went to a private, Catholic, Liberal Arts college. I live in one of the biggest and prosperous cities in the world. I understand I am not the target for some of the policies that this country needs the most.
When I voted, I was thinking about those who are not fortunate enough to share my experiences. I voted for the 13 year old girl who is forced to carry a child to term in Texas, all because she was sexually assaulted. I voted for the children in schools who are fearful of someone walking into their 4th grade classroom with an assault rifle, not knowing if the last time they will see their parents was when they got on the bus that morning. I voted for first-generation college students, who deserve to have access to financial aid, so that their brilliant minds can participate in the high-level classroom discussions I was fortunate enough to engage in.
I voted for peace. Love. Acceptance. Respect. Kindness. Humility. Opportunity.
Nothing about being an American is easy. I think this is a concept that we all need to grasp a more tightly, especially right now. It is hard to keep moving forward when it feels like the progress made by generations before us, is being turned back like a clock.
It is difficult to walk by the clock in Union Square, counting down how many good years our planet has left. It is heartbreaking to have conversations with my girlfriends about whether or not they want children, when I know deep down, they would all be the most incredible mothers. It is sickening to think about the fact that me and my partner may not be able to reap the benefits of social security - let alone the Americans who need social security the most.
In 2020, when COVID happened, I was exhausted when grappling with the reality that I was living through one of the most major historical events of our lifetime. It was not fun, it was not relaxing. During this 2024 election period, I have come to terms with the reality that for the rest of my life, I will have no choice but to be living through life-changing historical events. I will be responsible for making decisions that will benefit my future children, my life, and our planet. It is a heavy burden, but one we must come to terms with.
Again, I am no expert. I am no politician. I am a 23-year-old girl with a laptop and a blog, who comes on here as a coping mechanism to get me through my twenties.
However, let me urge you.
To my fellow strong, capable women. Please speak up. Do not stay quiet. Protect your bodies. Exercise your rights, cautiously - not because I want women to second-guess themselves, but because we may not be given a choice at all much longer, and we need to be careful every step of the way. You are beautiful, you are smart, and you are the product of hundreds of admirable women who risked their lives and challenged the status quo before you ever walked this earth. It is now our time to repay them for their bravery and do the same.
To the men in America who made the decision yesterday that our freedoms and rights were not a deal-breaker for you. I sigh in disappointment, but not surprise. I hope you understand that while you may not be a woman, and while these issues may seem like they do not affect you, they eventually will. You are on the wrong side of history, and it is a very scary reality that you will most likely live to see the day where you have to experience the effects of doing so. When your wife loses access to vital healthcare procedures that could save her life, there is a very high chance she could die alongside your future child, and you will be left all alone in a hospital to mourn. To sit with your head in your hands and realize this is bigger than just “Make America Great Again.”
It is not difficult to have basic empathy as an American man. My boyfriend woke up this morning and mourned with me. We discussed our fears and questions, and sat in silence on the phone while we contemplated what a second term of “Trump’s America” will look like as we grow older together. He understands the importance of living in a country where your leader will be a leader for everyone, regardless of political party or background. He thinks freely, does his research, and educates himself on matters that directly affect him and those he cares about (while still being a white male, from a suburban, privileged MA town, who also went to one of the top private colleges in the country). My fellow ladies, especially right now, never settle for less.
I want to leave you all with a glimmer of hope. Please let this time be regenerative and restful for you, as much as we may feel rage bubbling up inside of us. Take the time you need to mourn and process. I truly believe if we do so, we will come back stronger than ever. We will fight back peacefully. We will educate, get our facts, and work to support those who may not have the same luxuries we do, or may need to find solstice from a state where their rights are being stripped sooner than later.
It is difficult to be proud to be an American recently, but I am proud of my fellow friends, family, peers, coworkers, and acquaintances who rallied together the past few months in an attempt to inspire change. May this energy never cease, because good things will eventually come.
Now please, take a breath, hug your loved ones tight, and know that the right people will be in your corner. Americans are resilient, and so are you.
