The Election: Why We're Not Actually Throwing "Temper Tantrums"

TRIGGER WARNING: This post will be discussing sexual violence and assault. If that applies to you and could be detrimental to your well-being, please skip this post and read some other ones.

ANOTHER WARNING: This post is about to be brutally honest.

I, along with some others, am very embarrassed of how people in my country are acting, and how the world views us. But for some very different reasons. 

I'm not afraid to say that I'm #stillwithher. I possess no shame in having voted for Hillary Clinton, nor will I ever be afraid to say that I'm a strong Democratic Christian. And I will never be ashamed of the responses of Democratic and third party voters.

We're not throwing temper tantrums. We're genuinely afraid. 

I'm not that afraid of Trump or what he may do. The House of Representatives is so evenly divided right now that, with our luck, nothing will actually get done in the next four years. Instead, I'm afraid of the people around me, and if you belong to a minority, I hope you agree with me on this. 

You see, I'm a part of two minorities. First, I am a woman. And while women technically aren't a minority, they are treated like one, and therefore are considered to be one. While women's rights have progressed extremely far in the last hundred years, they still aren't where they need to be. Women still aren't payed equally. Women still don't get paid maternity leave in most professions, and often only get a week off in high school. Women are still treated differently in terms of their sex lives. And women are still blamed for being raped and otherwise assaulted. Rape culture is very real, and is very stacked against women. People mourn when rapists lose their scholarships and go to jail, and are quick to place blame on a woman who was "dressed provocatively" (probably jeans and a t-shirt) and was "walking alone late at night" (because sometimes people work late, and have to walk home).  

So, in this, what is my fear?

I'm afraid that I could be assaulted and be blamed for it. Grab 'em by the p*ssy, right?

The second minority I'm a part of is the LGBT+ community. There you have it folks, there really are gays at this university. Can you believe it?

Anyway, I'm gay. And while gay marriage is legal in all fifty states (which is wonderful and amazing, believe me), LGBT+ rights concerning being assaulted are not as consistent, and the culture surrounding it is terrifying. This is not all that dissimilar to how violence against exclusively women is handled. For example: In high school, my best friend (who is also gay) was called a "f*ggot" and repeatedly punched, shoved and spat on (AKA: harassed and assaulted) almost every single day. When he finally built up the courage to report it to the school, their only response was: "Were you being really gay around them? That could be why they did it." The boys that did this were never punished, never even called to the office, and several of them even go to this university.

So, in this, what is my fear?

I'm afraid that I could be assaulted and be blamed for it. She was walking down the mall holding her girlfriend's hand and being gay, right? 

So, why am I #stillwithher?

Because I value my safety, and that of others.