I'm afraid of Americans.
I'm afraid of the world.
When it went wrong in 2016 it was a complete shock. This time it wasn’t a shock but it feels way, way, WAY worse. This time people knew exactly what they were getting and went for it anyway. I am legitimately scared and furious and it seems like they’re really going to go for it this time. No checks, no balances.
What actually went wrong is obviously a lot more complicated than “people sure hate women and minorities” but I’m just talking about how it feels. To me it feels like half of the country would rather have a failing, racist, sexist, lying, grifter, rapist, felon for a president instead of a competent, qualified woman. It feels bad, y’all.
Women have barely had the vote for 100 years and we’re still fighting tooth and nail to be taken half as seriously as the absolute worst man. We can’t just be qualified, we also have to be likeable and poised and not have a weird laugh and not smile too much, but if you don’t smile you get SMILE HONEY, IT’S NOT SO BAD. But it IS bad, sir! We have to be perfect and smart but not too smart because what if we’re smarter than the man? Can’t have that.
Again, I know this is just feelings but I have so many of them and it’s really overwhelming. It’s hard to come to terms yet again with how many people in this country (men and women) are perfectly fine with women not having bodily autonomy. Every time it feels like we’ve made some progress it gets striped away again. Women are dying because controlling us is more important than keeping us alive.
And then there’s the little incel fuckwad who posted: “your body, my choice. Forever.” This is CHILLING. Look, I know this guy is an extremist but I can’t help but wonder how many young men feel this way. Do they really feel like more than half of the population exists solely for their use? They are saying the quiet part out loud and I believe they mean it. It’s terrifying.
But, in this fear spiral I also remind myself that I know lots of good men who absolutely like women and aren’t threatened by the concept of a woman leader. When it starts to all feel like too much, I list out in my head all the men I know and completely trust and it’s a decent list. I breathe, I eat a CBD gummy, I go outside, I look at the dumb trees, I cry, I delete and unfollow, I put my phone away.
Right there with you. This time it is so much worse. I don't even know what to do, I'm just - numb. I don't want to read any takes on what happened, I don't want to read statistical breakdowns, I don't want to see that lying sack of shit's smug fucking face or hear his voice or drive past that one house with all that campaign signage out front like a big F-U to me and everyone like me. I just want it to not be happening, and I'm doing SO SO WELL with that. Just really well. So well.
exactly. and every time I calm down a bit, another things pops into my head - like how Bannon will get some big title & position, that awful Miller creep, his kids, especially Don Jr, how Vance will be set up for the next Pres campaign, Musk, RFK - as Health secratary!!!!!!!!!! there's no end . I don't want to permanently freak out, but hard not to.