Waking up the morning after was the hardest part of it all. The election was finished, and the results were unfortunately finished as well. Donald Trump was officially America’s next president. I sat and watched the news for two hours straight, unable to change the channel. It was like one of those horrific things you can’t look away from. I don’t cry often, but this morning was different. I hadn’t felt the urge to cry so hard, or so many times in a while. It felt like I had lost something, or someone.
As I watched all of the percentages, statistics, and maps shaded with specs of blue and a lot more red move across the screen, one specific thought hit me like a ton of bricks. There are so many people in this country that are not supportive of me. When I say this I mean not supportive of women, African Americans, or any other minority group for that matter. I think that realization is what made me want to cry most. As a black woman I have always been aware of the fact that racism and sexism are alive and well in this country. But this was the first that I didn’t have to look at a documentary on something like The Civil Rights Movement to remind me of this. This was very real, and happening right now.
I know that many will defend their choice in vote based on their political views. I won’t disagree with that. But there is no denying that this election was different. This election was mean, rude, blatantly pulled and operated on the worst things about America. So in the eyes of many like myself, a vote for Trump was not just a vote for the Republican candidate. It was choice to ignore every racist thing that occurred during this election. It was a choice to support a man that is also supported proudly by the KKK. It was a choice to not support the rights of women. It was a choice to support someone that felt women could be sexually handled in any way he felt necessary.
To treat this election like any other would be insane. From the strange silence that many people, including myself, experienced the day after, it’s obvious that this election was anything but normal. There was a divide that became even more defined than ever before. Even though some time has passed, and we have all attempted to get back some normalcy, there are still tension in the air. The positive vibes and optimism regarding this new change has not yet hit me. I wish that I could share a more encouraging outlook on this situation, but I have not yet reached that point. Hopefully this will change day by day, little by little.