With it becoming increasingly clear that Donald Trump will almost certainly win the US election, the moderators and I felt it important to say a few words and direct people to crisis support resources.
We know this outcome is devastating for so many of us. It's difficult to see the outcome we feared come to pass, and it's completely understandable to feel heartbroken, fearful, or even numb. We need to come together as a community now more than ever. We need to support each other. We need to ensure no one is alone in their fear or pain.
The challenges ahead may seem insurmountable and frankly overwhelming, but our voices and actions are still powerful. Staying engaged in your local community, in advocacy, and ensuring our voices are not silenced is more crucial now than ever.
Crisis Support
If you or someone you know needs immediate support, here are some US-based resources (from GLAAD):
- The Trevor Project‘s 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or TrevorChat, their online instant messaging option, or TrevorText, a text-based support option. If you are looking for peer support, you can visit TrevorSpace from anywhere in the world.
- Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860
We do not consider the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline a safe resource for the trans community due to their history of involving local law enforcement without the caller's consent, which can result in indefinite detainment.
Mutual Aid
Now is the time to lean into local resources and community groups. The people around you, especially other LGBTQ+ advocates and allies, can be a source of great strength and stability. Here are a few ways to connect:
- Blahaj has a community Matrix free for anyone to join.
- The Trans Housing Network Chat helps connect unhoused people, or people in unsafe housing, to those able to provide temporary shelter. Contact xilliah@beehaw.org to join.
- Mutual Aid Hub has a list of mutual aid resources across the United States
- The aforementioned TrevorSpace offers peer support globally
- Trans Resources provides a global collection of community, support and advocacy groups, as well as many other kinds of resources.
- If there are any other resources we've missed, please direct message me on Matrix @emily:mtrx.nz or leave a comment
The best mutual aid and support is local. We encourage everyone to research trans advocacy groups around them, local queer facebook pages, and keep connected with their community.
Moving Forward
While the outcome is devastating, our community is strong. It's important to remember that progress in queer and minority rights has always been a story of hard fought battles through adversity. In moments like these, we stand on the shoulders of those who fought the battles before us. This is a time to lean on each other, amplify our voices, and advocate for the protections and rights we deserve. Organize, reach out, educate, and support one another as we move forward. Every action counts — from contacting representatives to showing up for each other in times of need.
Please stay safe and take care of yourself, especially in the coming days.
I'm Canadian. But my trans sister and her wife live in Oregon. They're planning to visit our parents in December. Hopefully the wheels of fascist government change grind slow enough for them to still get out. I'm not religious, but I'm praying all of you are safe in the months to come.
If it's any consolation, Oregon, Washington and California are probably the three safest states to be in for trans folks right now. I don't know how long that will last, but it will be more time than people in red states.
If you're in an urban centre. The boonies are still very red. And they're in the boonies. About 45mins out of Port Orford.
The biggest misconception about "the South" is that its contained to the South. Culturally, "the South" is everywhere more than 20-30 minutes out of any population center.
Also, I understand what you're trying to say and that you put it in quotations but saying that culturally the south is 20-30 minutes outside of a population center is entirely inaccurate. Those kinds of blanket statements leave no room for nuance and feeds into stereotypes. A better thing to say is rural areas, red areas, trump territory, etc.
I dont know if there is any baggage on the idea of "Southern culture" im missing, but from what i can tell, its accurate.
People in (at least) the poorer suburbs still make (what got labeled as) "trash food", like casorols.
In the country but also the wooded suburbs, deep red households put up large banners supporting trump.
The TV companies broadcast old reruns of westerns for people like my grandma in the small towns.
Go 20 to 30 miles from the heart of the major cities and you risk finding farmland.
Southern culture is not what you just mentioned. It is most definitely not a monolith as you're describing it.
There are a lot of sub regions of the south (such as southern Appalachian, south Atlantic, Cajun, etc). They are all very different from each other and while there are some similarities, there are a lot of differences too. One is in the way we speak. There are even varieties in southern accents. Lotta times you can tell what social class and region someone is from in the south based on their accent. Another is in the widely differing southern culinary practices. It's not the monolith the media likes to paint it as.
And culturally the south is also very different in a lot of ways. There is a strong culture of respect to elders and using your manners compared to most other places in the US. Despite what you see on the media, people tend to be non confrontational and being direct is not considered polite. If someone has an issue it's usually talked about when the person is away or in a quiet tone. People are a lot less scheduled and regimented, as well as being friendlier with strangers even in the cities. I had genuine culture shock after I moved to rural new england for the first time. It was such a contrast. I could go on and on about the specifics of southern culture if you're interested in that.
I encourage you to read up on just how rich and diverse southern culture is. You didn't say this directly, but by associating it solely with far right (presumably white) cishet MAGA Americans it actively diminishes the queer, people of color, and leftists who also are southerners and are proud of their culture. There's a lot more of us than the media and Hollywood likes to portray it as. There is also a lot more cultural baggage to being a southerner when outside of the south because of history and media portrayal and people have a myriad of assumptions just because someone is from there. I've definitely experienced it.
I would encourage you to visit and see for yourself but yeah, it's getting unsafe right now. The government is shitty, corrupt, and bigoted. I don't know if I'll be able to return home and visit my family and community (that I cherish) after trump takes office because I am trans. That doesn't make me love my home any less. My point is, southern culture is not defined by being a rural, lower class MAGA person.
Another misconception about "the South" is that it is a monolith. Even in supposedly deep red states there are big areas that are blue and not all of them are urban. Unfortunately those areas tend to be heavily gerrymandered and do not have as much power as they should.
It's a symptom of one of the great things about America. The freedom of movement.
Also a symptom of living in isolated conditions. As a generalisation, living in a major metropolitan area means being exposed to a load of different types of people. Can't hate all black/LGBTQ2S+/Muslim/Asian folk when you interact with them every day.
Unfortunately we're pretty tribal by nature. Always looking for the other to be against.
Damn. I have found it impossible to get citizenship in Canada, despite so many saying it's easy.
If they are unable to escape to Canada, a move to the Portland area or maybe even Tacoma or Marysville would be the next safest (and somewhat affordable) places in my opinion.
Anyone who says it's easy to get citizenship or immigration status for any western country is either lying or doesn't have a clue.
Depending on how things go in the States, refugee status might be doable. That said it's looking more and more like the Tories might get in power, which means Canada might not be all that much safer...
Trump doesn’t take office this year. That’s not to say there won’t still be effects this year, but before January most things should still be relatively unchanged by his hands.
I'm dearly hoping that the whackjobs don't decide to just kick it off early. I had a really bad panic attack this morning. I'm a bit better now, but still trying to stop feeling like today has been the start of a massive existential crisis.