06 NOVEMBER 2024

Today, the TV is turned off, a conscious decision on my part to (1) focus on my daily work; (2) disengage from the Talking Head ad nauseum analyses; and (3) enjoy the moments of silence before once again assuming a mode I hadn’t been in since January 19th, 2021: Resister.

By now, I think we’re all aware of what’s happened in the political landscape of America: We the People have once again chosen to give a wannabe dictator a second chance at leading the nation. Depending on your placement in the political sphere, this is good news or bad news. To be frank, I voted against sending the Grand Ol’ Pus Bag back to the White House. I voted for turning the page; however, it seems the will of the People wants to retread familiar, fucked up tracks and sing from the orange makeup-stained hymnal for four years.

I’m not going to go into details and analysis on what should and shouldn’t have happened, what worked and what didn’t, etc. That’s for the political news cycle to conduct. Honestly, that’s the last thing in the world I want to do and there’s no use in it for me. What I’m more concerned about are the folx around me and YOU.

Yes, you, the Leatherperson, the Kinkster, the LGBTQ+ person, the Veteran, the American Progressive. I’m thinking about you.

You’re probably worried, numb, dazed, bewildered, tired, sad…or all of them at once. I get it, I understand because that’s pretty much what I felt the first time we voted to enter the shit show. I’m not here to give warm fuzzies, rather I’m here to pass on some advice for what you can do with the meantime of now and January 20th, 2025. I’ve broken it down into three parts: React. Regroup. Resist.

React

Yesterday and today have been hellish on my empathic sensibilities. There’s a collective sigh of relief that the election is over but also an overwhelming sense of fear and despair for what will happen come January 2025 and the years to follow.

To that, I say put it aside…for now, and focus on you, your loved ones, your current life. If you need to cry, cry. Need to dissociate for a little bit? Go for it. Whatever it looks like for you to process what’s happened, do it. Coping with any loss is purely subjective.

Personally, I’m going on a news diet for a while. After consuming constant cycles of election-related discourse, I’m going to dial it back substantially. Then, I’m going to seek out things I enjoy: Being with my Loved Ones, being among my Communities, helping where I can, and being a fun-loving hedonist.

I’ve seen folx changing their socials to black squares. That’s fine because that’s how they’re dealing right now. It’s my hope that they’ll come back, that YOU’LL come back because the world will need us when things change next year.

Regroup

As an Indigenous, gay Veteran, I’ve become quite familiar with trying to find my place in any Community. I think that these qualities have furnished me capacities to understand the need for preparation before periods of struggle. I engaged in the fights for marriage equality and military equality, did the groundwork for LGBTQ+ causes, and self-advocated for my mental health in the medical bureaucracy of Veteran healthcare. Every fight was preceded by a period of reaction: Reeling from serving in silence for eight years; despairing over Proposition 8; mental breakdowns precipitated by untreated PTSD and depression. I had to experience low points so I could devise plans on how to get back to the high ones.

That said, there are things that one can do to prepare for what’s to come. A lot of it is knowledge, shoring up your stores of knowledge on your place as an affected American. I’m going to paraphrase a listing I found today and hope that it will provide a measure of stability for what’s to come.

• Stay Informed: Keep yourself updated on policies and actions of administrations, locally and nationally. Strive to understand the political landscape so you may anticipate changes that could affect you.
• Know Your Rights: If you’re feeling fear right now, you’re likely worried how the next administration will pan out for you (i.e., Women, LGBTQ+, etc.). Familiarize yourself with your legal rights and do homework on understanding anti-discrimination laws, healthcare rights, and any local protections that are in-place.
• Build A Support Network: Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and community members. Think about joining organizations or local community groups that advocate for your rights and provide resources.
• Access Resources: There are resources out there for every Community such as mental health, legal aid, and support hotlines. Many organizations offer assistance tailored to affect populations. I may put together a page of resources up at some point.
• Be Prepared: Consider creating a plan for potential scenarios, including discrimination or legal challenges. A plan can provide some peace of mind.

Resist

Given what we know about the previous iteration of what’s to come, we have some sense of how things could go. There are also substantial differences as there is no longer a raging global pandemic and the nation is perhaps wiser to the bullshit circus in politics.

We need to use the knowledge we’ve gained over the past near-decade to prepare ourselves for what’s to come, how to fight, how to resist. Talking with my Daddy last night, I said that resistance isn’t new to me nor perhaps to any minority community out there. The Stonewall Riots, the Suffragettes, Selma, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT), marriage equality, Roe v. Wade, we have the fight within us and we may have to activate those muscles once again. All that stated, there are things you can do to participate in resistance.

• Engage In Advocacy: Look for and get active in grassroots organizations, online campaigns, and/or local events. We know mostly what to expect from the retread administration, let’s use that knowledge to fortify efforts to take down your rights and protections.
• Get To Know Who Your Elected Officials Are: During the first iteration, I was frustrated by all the shit coming down from on high and I would fall into despair, feeling like I had no tools to fight. I did, in fact, and it was through elected officials. Understand that the folx we elect to Congress have a responsibility to ensure we are represented in D.C., we need to hold them to that especially in the times to come. It starts with knowing who represents you and how to contact them. You can find out your elected officials here.
• Stay Connected: Maintain connections with national organizations that work to protect and advance your rights. These organizations can provide updates and resources that are crucial during challenging times.
• Focus on Self-Care: Whether you’re resisting or hunkering down for the duration, strive to take care of your mental and emotional well-being. Engage in things that bring you joy and help you cope with stress.

Resistance is in my blood and it’s in the DNA of the Nation because there have been bullshit leaders throughout the American story. What’s kept us from the abyss are the efforts and folx behind those efforts.

We’ll get through this. You’ll get through this.

Take the time you need to react and come back because we’re gonna need you.