This Again…

This again? Oh, it’s because the economy will be more robust, right? And because, otherwise, our jobs will be filled by ‘Americans,’ right?

How could we possibly make the mistake of electing a man with a history of disrespect toward women? A man who prides himself on saying things like, “Grab them by the p***y.” For every person who voted for him, be sure your sons and daughters understand that this man has been chosen to lead our country.

We need a leader who respects and values all women, sees us for our intelligence, complexity, and potential, and uplifts and supports us, especially women from marginalized communities. This election has shown us that women must be perfect—or they face harsh criticism. But flawed men are given a pass. It’s a glaring double standard.

The implications of this election are profound, particularly for women’s health. The fight for reproductive rights is not just about abortion—it’s about access to fertility treatments like IVF, ensuring safe pregnancies, supporting childbirth, and providing pre and post-natal care.

There is also a serious threat to education, especially protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. There’s a threat to teaching our history truthfully so we can learn from our past and prevent repeated oppression. Our children are at risk of not understanding the struggles that shaped us.

We need a leader who does not refer to people as “garbage” or “rapists” based on skin color or cultural differences and who does not call white supremacists “very fine people.” We need someone who acknowledges that this country was built on the shoulders of Indigenous, Enslaved and Immigrant people.

We need an intelligent, thoughtful leader who is truly capable of leading this country.

We need a compassionate, empathy-filled leader committed to serving all people—not a self-absorbed narcissist.

This election has shown us that America does not care for all its people—just the privileged—and that the very definition of being American is being challenged.  So get ready, America, for what you’ve chosen: a leader who disregards respect for women. You cannot return this “gift” within 30 days.

So now this again…here we are. Keep hoping and doing whatever you do best and whatever you need to do to keep doing it. For me, that means hopefully creating spaces that welcome everyone and are filled with joy and love. Holding on to this may be more difficult in the coming days, but it is essential to keep uplifting, beautiful people, telling stories that need to be told and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard.