White people, this is your fault

As you may have noticed, Donald Trump is going to be our 45th president of the United States. Our nation is still in shock. Many of us are grieving, and unsure of what is going to happen next.

As a woman of color who has been sexually assaulted, dealt with racism, and has friends who are members of the Muslim, Hispanic, Asian, and LGBTQ communities, you, a cisgendered white person, cannot comfort me.

Not even if you voted for Clinton.

If you were a Clinton supporter, and your first reaction was, “Darn, another woman’s qualifications are overlooked in favor of an under-qualified man,” then congratulations. You are still part of the problem. Members of the Muslim, Sikh, LGBTQ, immigrant, Black, Asian, and Latinx communities probably wish that that’s all they had to worry about. Your privilege still shines brighter than your vote. Not sure of what I’m talking about? You know, taking part in Hillary Clinton outfit crazes because you’re showing solidarity? How about actually going out and helping communities if you truly wanted to emulate her? What the sexist false feminism that is voting for someone just because they are a woman? If Trump were not a man, would you have voted for him?

By all means, be the most powerful, fierce woman you can be. But be mindful that many of us will always have to be even more than that. Not only do we have to fight past gender boundaries, but racial, religious, xenophobic, and homophobic boundaries as well, and your White feminism will not help us in doing so.

What if you didn’t support Clinton, but you still do not understand why people are upset?

There have already been acts of violence and ignorance towards people of different backgrounds.

My message to you is that we tried. We offered unity. You turned your backs when we fought for LGBTQ rights. You denied our cries when our Black men and women were murdered. You ignored our Muslims and Sikhs who were harassed because of their religion. We called for equality, but you voted for a man who gives no regard for any of that.

Many believe that people are protesting because they are “whiny babies” or don’t know how to accept that we “lost.” Even telling us to just give him a chance and keep moving forward.

You see, it’s not only him we worry about. It’s you. The sad thing is that yes, we know that all Trump supporters aren’t racist, but we do not know who isn’t. I wish I felt remorse for any Trump supporter that isn’t a bigot, and is receiving backlash, but I do not. You elected him. You elected a man who is endorsed by KKK grand wizard. You elected a man who wants to screen Muslims. You elected a man who grabs women by their pussy. You elected a man who represents everything that is wrong with the country…because you hated Hillary Clinton?

I personally hated Clinton as a candidate. I hated the DNC for what they did to Bernie Sanders. However, at the end of the day, even though Clinton was not trustworthy, you still did not vote for Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. And no, Trump’s place as the Republican nominee is not a valid excuse for voting for Trump. Even the Bush family did not vote for him. There is literally no excuse.

Admit it: You voted for Donald Trump because as a White cisgendered person, you would not risk any of the privilege you fight so vigorously to deny.

In other words, your ultimate decision was to continue to walk in your own shoes, rather than those of the Muslim women who fear to wear their traditional hijabs.

You decided to live your life, while a Black woman was called a nigger and threatened with a firearm, while pumping gas into her car.

You slept peacefully while at least 660 people contemplated suicide, because they did not want to have to endure the upcoming 4 years.

You ate your lunch while Latinx and Asian students were told to go back “home”.

I get it. You’re only trying to protect your way of life. And yes, I will never agree to any violence against Trump supporters, and there are messy people out there who are fabricating stories of hate. But I ask you, why would you even think you deserve my hand in solidarity now, when my life has never mattered to you?

Simple.

Because you’re White. And you just don’t get it.

P.S. I hope I made you feel uncomfortable.