To Those Of You Despairing Because Of Trump's Success In Your Area

Watch: President Obama delivers pointedly feminist speech at United State of Women summit

We are stronger together and will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that. Let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and… more work to do.

Hillary Clinton (via nomatterwhatuniverse)

Today, Wednesday, November 9, 2016, is my 18th birthday. The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was check the news. It was despairing. The United States of American had the opportunity to elect as the 45th president, a woman, for the first time in our country’s history, and we failed. Instead of crying over the news of an alleged sexual assaulter, chauvinist, sexist, homophobic, and racist person winning this election, I could have been crying tears of joy, that on my 18th birthday, the first female president was elected in the United States. That would have made me so proud of the country I love.

But that was not the world I woke up to. It was hard enough knowing that I missed being able to vote by a single day, but to have our country’s values skewed in such a way that we take steps backward in progress, and after the first African American president was elected, is terrifying.

I refuse to fear Donald Trump. He seems to thrive off of lies and hatred in order to further a personal agenda for power and money, and he represents everything I hate. What is really worrisome is what he represents. The fact that so many people have been convinced of his lies, empty promises, and regressive ideas that go against the true values of freedom and democracy that America is supposed to represent shows that we still have so much work to do.

I respect and love this country enough that I decided to study law and possibly devote a career to representing and fighting for the rights of the people of the United States. I believe we can do better, but I also know that it is much easier to succumb to fear than togetherness. Turmoil in the United States and across the world has always been there, but we have to decide how we react to those situations: with impulsive hostility or with measured foresight.

America has made an irreversible mistake, and though these words are nothing new to the ears of American citizens, they are essential to keep in mind. Law and government are supposed to represent change, our values, progress, and our democratic standard. If our government does not represent us, is not treating us in the way we deserve, it is in our hands to make that change. Bad laws are brought into being, but if they do not reflect us and the health of our society, we have the right to challenge them. Laws are malleable, not stagnant, and ever changing with progress. Never forget that our government works for the people, not for themselves. They represent all of us, not just a few. Regardless of personal beliefs and party affiliation, legislators’ responsibility is to represent everyone. 

I encourage everyone, especially young people, to not be passive and apathetic about politics and government because it is in our hands to decide change. If you claim that politics is unsavory, it is your job to fix it. Get involved, spread love, and stand strong in your beliefs because they belong to you and no one has the right to take them away.

wait what about mike pence and conversion camps?

here, from politifact

Newsom, a prominent LGBTQ rights supporter, said Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Pence “advocated for diverting taxpayer dollars to so-called conversion therapy.”

Conversion therapy is a controversial practice that seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight. It’s banned in five states including California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont and New Jersey.

When asked about the claim, Newsom’s spokesman pointed to Pence’s own words. During his first successful run for Congress in 2000, Pence wrote on his campaign website, under a section called Strengthening the American Family:

“Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”

Also on the website, Pence wrote: “Congress should oppose any effort to put gay and lesbian relationships on an equal legal status with heterosexual marriage.” And “Congress should oppose any effort to recognize homosexual’s [sic] as a ‘discreet [sic] and insular minority’ entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended to women and ethnic minorities.”

Our research found no evidence Pence has walked back his stance on public funding for conversion therapy. His spokesman did not respond with information about Pence’s current position.

and in case you didnt know, conversion therapy is horrible for LGBT youth

Words to live by. 

I’m gonna outlive donald trump i dont care how long i have to wait i wanna live in a world where he doesnt exist and I dont have to hear or see him 

Spite, fuel me

im not goin anywhere

What's Our Next Step?

Donald Trump is the president-elect. This is the last thing many of us wanted or imagined, and the world is shaking in its boots. Where do we go from here? Here’s where we begin:

-Recognize that what Hillary Clinton did for women in politics was amazing. She has solidified her place in history as the first major party female nominee for president. Remember that she was a person, a person with real ideas and love in her heart for the American people.

-Recognize that Donald Trump is #notyourpresident. A man who does not care for or respect you does not deserve your respect in return. It does not matter that he will hold the highest office in the land (barring impeachment). He is just a man, just another human being, with real weaknesses. We shall continue to expose those weaknesses and his black heart for the whole world to see. You do not owe him anything. He does not represent you.

-Appreciate everything the Obama administration has done. Hell, write him and Joe a thank-you card. The man who forced him to release his long form birth certificate has now been elected into office, and that is a sucker punch to Barack Obama and his legacy. He deserved better than this. Get everything done in the next couple months that you can that may be harder to do after January 20th, such as getting an IUD and help from Planned Parenthood, or get your physical while you’re still covered.

-Realize that the electoral college? Is bullshit. It no longer works. If we had gone off popular vote, Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton would be our president, because that’s who the majority of Americans voted for. Protest the hell out of the electoral college.

-Support your community. Whether you’re LGBT, Muslim, a woman (cis or trans), Mexican, or any other minority that Trump and the Republicans have disgraced. We’re stronger together, and if we work together, nothing can stop us.

-LEARN THAT VOTING THIRD PARTY KINDA RUINS IT FOR EVERYBODY. How’s your conscience feel now, huh?

-Keep fighting for what’s right. Fight for the plans and ideas Clinton and the Democrats were running to support.

-Remember that you have a voice. You have rights. The Constitution secures many of them for you, and the most freeing ones come in that first amendment: religion, speech, press, protest. You’re going to need all of them to overcome the challenge of living under a president that wants to take that away from you.

-Support the press. They kinda fucked up covering Trump. They gave him the upper hand with all this air time, treating him like he wasn’t a threat. Because he really is now. But, now they have the chance to make it right by really digging up some serious dirt on him and making his life in office a living hell.

-This is a revolution. And what made the past beautiful was that people got off their asses in order to make their voices heard about issues they cared about. They gathered. They marched. And they didn’t keep quiet. Am I suggesting we protest Trump (or Pence’s) inauguration? Am I suggesting we march on Washington to show our unity? Do you need to stop talking about your displeasure on social media and actually physically get out there and get shit done? Yeah, you do. Let’s get together.

-Women and minorites have a long way to go. It feels as if the last victory women got was 96 years ago when we got the vote. We still haven’t broken the highest glass ceiling. But we will. We absolutely will. So we need to get together and make sure we all get the justice we deserve and lead EVERYONE forward. We need to educate people on equality. Not condescend to them.

Hard times are ahead, pals. But we can do this. We can make Donald Trump wish he was never born, let alone that he won the presidency. And I’m serious when I say that if you’d like to organize something, from a web page to a publication to protest in some form, message me.

We can do this. Because we’re stronger together.

You are going to run this country, and this world, very soon. So you will not listen to this man, or the 75-year-old, doughy-faced, gray-haired nightmare men like him, when they try to tell you where to stand or how to behave or what you can and cannot do with your own bodies, or what you should or should not think with your own minds. You will not be cowed or discouraged by his stream of retrogressive babble. You won’t have time to be cowed, because you will be too busy working and learning and communing with other girls and women like you, and when the time comes you will effortlessly flick away his miserable, petty misogynistic worldview like a fly on your picnic potato salad. He is the present, sadly, but he is not the future. You are the future. Your strength is a million times his. Your power is a billion times his. We will acknowledge this result, but we will not accept it. We will overcome it, and we will defeat it. Now find your team, and get to work.

‘Parks and Recreation’: Leslie Knope Writes Letter to America Following Donald Trump’s Victory (via Yahoo)

Please spread the word on tumblr, twitter, via text message, facebook, and your communities! On Dec 18th we will be having a country wide walkout from work and school to peacefully protest our way to the state capital building in your area to change the minds of the college electoral voters to vote for Hillary. If we succeed, Hillary will win by electoral votes along with popular votes and officially become president. Join the petition (2.2 million already) on our blog to accomplish this also!

White house staff watching Obama welcome Donald Trump as president.