I Have a Voice, and I Swear to Use It

It's the last straw, isn't it? 2016. A year so twisted and cruel that will go down in history as The Year That Shall Not Be Named. And now Donald J. Trump has been elected president of the United States. It's like a bad joke, or the set-up for some evil alternate timeline.

This year, personally, has been pretty good for me. I've felt reinvigorated and supported in my career by friends and family. I feel strong again. And I'm going to put that to use.

Let's break it down. A president has maybe 6 months in office to carry out their goals before the mid-term elections and the focus turns to holding on to the House, Congress, and the Senate. After that it's all about either re-election or making sure the party has enough support to get the new guy in.

Remember that many Republicans want nothing to do with Trump. They hate what he's done to the party. They can be pressed to oppose his most damaging actions. Deals can be made to shut Trump and his cronies down. Republicans can be convinced they will lose votes for continuing to support him. Democrats can appropriate Republican tactics and support by pushing against federal involvement in state matters where that involvement will take away peoples' rights. The fight isn't over. It's just started.

6 months. 180 days where Trump will be at his most dangerous.

And he's already flipped on his views on Hilary Clinton. Essentially his first act as President Elect was to thank Clinton for her service to the country. This is a far from "lock her up" and "Crooked Hilary." This is not a man of conviction. This is a man who will say and do whatever he wants, so long as it feeds his ego or makes him money, with a track record of breaking promises. He can be pressured. He can be steered away from at least some of the harm he has vowed to inflict.

This is a time for foundation-level work. A time to fight back on a direct level. A time to fight the bigotry and scaremongering that Trump used to win. A time to fight the same lies and prejudice that allowed the Brexit vote to win. A time to fight the greed and white supremacy that leaves unarmed Native Americans standing down a militarised police force, that leaves unarmed black people dead in the street while a cop holds a smoking gun. A time to fight the hatred and ignorance that lets people spread fearmongering lies about trans people trying to get into bathrooms to commit rape, while allowing a rapist to become their leader.

Zero tolerance on sexism. Zero tolerance on racist jokes. Zero tolerance on homophobia and transphobia. I am fortunate enough to not be among the marginlised in this. So I have a responsibility to add my voice to theirs. And this, I swear to do. I will not tolerate any prejudice. I may hurt some feelings from now on, but hurt feelings don't compare to lives being destroyed.

Yesterday I talked about stories. Well the best way I have to frame these events is still to look for the story. I've seen people wonder how to tell their children what's happened. How to explain that someone who is the living antithesis of every moral lesson we have, can become the president of what was supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Sometimes the villain wins.

But just for a little while. Because when the villain wins, it just means there are more heroes coming to save the day.

Like I said before: Be a hero, even if it's just for one person. Because every life protected matters.

For my part, I'll be here. If anyone needs someone to talk to, if they're scared or angry. I'll help you in any way I can.

And I will write. I will tell stories where the villain rises, and the hero stands up to fight back. Stories, music, and art are going to become such important weapons now. I will not allow bigotry and hate to go unanswered. I will make my voice heard, and let others' voices be heard, too.

Let's show the world that monsters can be beaten.