In accordance with the final result of this election my anxiety along side many other Americans, and individuals worldwide, has heightened. As we approach the inauguration of Donald Trump there are a few things I’ve respected and loved about this country I’d like to say goodbye to. First, I’d like to say goodbye to an era in which respect for women had skyrocketed. An era in which I was raised to believe I had every capability of a man and would thrive in any genre of employment. An era in which I believed my 78 cents to every man’s dollar would be eliminated. I believed we could achieve in building a society in which men would no longer be forced to profess their masculinity and feel smothered by emotions they’re made to conceal. I believed we could abolish the precedent that sexual assault is partially the victims fault. I believed in era in which I believed equality between the sexes could be achieved. I won’t stop fighting, but our chances of success have dwindled.
Second, I’d like to say goodbye to an era in which my career opportunities were expansive. I’d like to say goodbye to an era in which America was respected greatly in the international community. Goodbye respected commander in chief.
I’d like to say goodbye to environmental progress. 2015, I assumed, was the first of many years of deep progress in the fight against climate change. For the first time the majority of the world’s countries had agreed to environmental policies to enact change. Apparently, the leading country of the movement now believes Climate Change doesn’t exist. I ask you to prepare, prepare for a time in which our children will see environmental refugees, resource wars, and great disparity. Climate change won’t halt for four years. Ask yourselves, are we living in a dystopian novel?
I’d like to say goodbye to an era of improvement. While racial, sexual, and gender discrimination was still relevant, we had improved. I no longer will feel completely comfortable expressing my sexuality as a bisexual woman. I worry for my friends in the LGBT community, I encourage you to suppress the upcoming issues you will face with you desire to never stop fighting.
I’d like to say goodbye to fast moving progress towards women being able to make decisions about their own bodies, and say hello to a long road of persistence. I’m fearful I will have to say goodbye to the concept of my body, my choice. We mustn’t let this happen.
Lastly, I wish luck to my friends. My friends of different races, different religions, and different sexualities, I am sorry that a man who has targeted so many communities has come to power. My friends, now is not a time to run. Now is a time to be tenacious.
Good bye great America, hello laughing stock.