It's been an emotional week, that's for sure. Every time I think about publishing something to this space nothing seems quite right. Holiday gift guides and this season's most flattering jeans pale in comparison to all that we're facing right now. As I'm sure you are aware, this has not been a space for policy and political opinion in the past. It has been a respite for pretty things and lighthearted folly (don't worry, more of that is coming your way) with the spontaneous essay on balance or motherhood thrown in for good measure. Above all though, this is a space for women. I pen this blog in the hopes that I can inspire, uplift or sometimes even distract women from the monotony and misogyny of the everyday. This is a safe space. An open-minded community. Moving forward I am making an effort to be raw and unrestrained in the hopes that you find a deeper connection here.
Should you feel offended by my thoughts, I am sorry. Proceed through this post with caution and love.
We spent election night in an agitated state. My emotions ran the gamut throughout the day (excited to wake Lorelai up and tell her what was going to happen, elated and proud to vote for what I thought would be this nation's first female leader, anxious, steadfast, exhausted...) and I never could have imagined the outcome. As the minutes ticked by I became more and more unsure. I held out hope until well after 10pm and when things started looking overwhelmingly disappointing, I retreated to bed in the hopes that I'd awake in the morning to a miracle. The second my eyes opened in the morning I clamored for my phone and scrolled through the news. My heart dropped.
The dream world, an ideal scenario where progression reigns supreme, racism is outdated and women are equal, did not come to fruition while I slept. The glass ceiling was not shattered and my little girl did not wake up to a world that said to her with its actions, "You can do this. This is real and attainable and yours for the taking." Instead, fear ruled and masses of Americans voted for a candidate that used hatred, sexism and trepidation as a platform. A man who openly spoke ill of women's bodies and treated them like objects. I was incensed and depressed. Saddened by the state of our country and shocked that I underestimated the sheer number of men and women who would choose to align themselves with such a man.
We live in a time, presided over by Facebook and dictated by algorithms that define a specific little bubble for each of us to dwell within, where the lines of the world are not clearly defined. We live behind walls built of illusion and scroll through endless hours of media that make it seem like everyone else is on our side. Here is seems like the opposition could never possibly win and hate could never rule. It's a rose-colored filter and it's not the truth.
I have never been more shocked and saddened by our country. Never been more privy to race wars and hatred. Never more acutely aware that we are setting an example for the children of this nation with our words and our choices. My heart breaks for all of the people hurting and marginalized, mocked for their beliefs and disrespected. Now is when we get to work to correct these missteps. It is the time to rally around one another with hope. To protect each other and defend each others freedoms.
Partisan politics are not for me but I will tell you this: I stand for love. I stand for inclusion and compassion, for hope and initiative. For plans and actions and words that speak volumes of kindness. I think most of you do too. My intent in sharing is not to alienate anyone (on either side) for their opinions and certainly not for their votes. I wish only to document a moment in time and to make a plan for the future. You see, regardless of how our politics differ, we all have so much more in common than the things that separate us. We are all human. I implore you, love one another and treat each other with compassion.
If fear is the reason that we are here, let us move forward by shedding that fear and facing the state of the country head-on. Let us remove the filter and accept this world for its beauty and its faults. Let us come together, use our voices and not be silenced. Let us not assume that the slack will be picked up by our neighbor or that everyone is well-versed on hate and exclusion. Let us work together to take the future of our world in the right direction.
“And to all the women, and especially the young women who put their faith in this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion. Now, I know, I know we still have not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will and hopefully sooner than we might think right now. And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable, and powerful, and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams... ‘Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’ So my friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary, let us not lose heart for there are more seasons to come. And there is more work to do.” - Hillary Clinton
