Where are you today on the roller coaster of emotions? From excited and optimistic (yesterday) to nervous and downright scared (last night) to resolved and exhausted (late last night) to angry and sad (this morning) to numbness (right now). You want to wallow in it, right? Roll around in that sadness and anger and numbness for a while. That’s okay, of course. New York City’s never felt as silent to me as it did this morning.
But as women, we can not afford to “take a day off.” We have to show up every single day, because we’re breadwinners and caretakers and we have elderly parents and children and pets and bosses. We can not afford to give up. And for those who joke about moving to Canada, well, the joke rings hollow, doesn’t it? It is not reality.
We can not afford to be cavalier. Trump will never win the election? He did. Trump will never do away with abortion rights? Who knows. What about voter rights, the Affordable Care Act, rights for the LGBTQIA+ population, for religious minorities? How fragile it all is.
We can not afford to overlook the hatred in our own backyards, or at our own dinner tables. As Vox.com puts it, Trump’s victory is part of a “global white backlash.” That’s discomfiting, and if it makes you uncomfortable or you want to push it away, sit with that.
Some of you have asked for a rallying cry, and for a list of ways to take action. Something you can do to feel better about the world. A way to contribute.
If you want to volunteer or donate money:
The ACLU: “For almost 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
The American Immigration Council: “The American Immigration Council (‘Council’), established in 1987, works to strengthen America by honoring our immigrant history and shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration.”
Black Lives Matter: “An affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.”
Emily’s List: “We ignite change by getting pro-choice Democratic women elected to office.”
Everytown: “Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities.”
The Future Project: “Young people everywhere should have opportunity to discover their potential and build the skills they need to change their lives and world. We exist to make that dream a reality, and we’re starting in American high schools.”
HIAS: “HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and freedom.”
It Gets Better Project: “The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.”
KIND: “KIND staff and our pro bono attorney partners at law firms, corporations, and law schools nationwide represent unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in their deportation proceedings. Together, we ensure that no child stands in court alone.”
The NAACP: “The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America: “NARAL was founded before Roe v. Wade, before legal abortion was even possible in the United States. We as an organization and as a progressive movement exist to fight for the dignity and equality of all Americans. We hold the line—in good times and in bad—to defend the freedoms that are enshrined in our constitution and that define what it means to be American.”
National Center for Transgender Equality: “The National Center for Transgender Equality is the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people.”
Planned Parenthood: “Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.”
RAINN: “RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.”
Women’s Prison Association: “WPA works with women at all stages of criminal justice involvement. We promote alternatives to incarceration and help women living in the community to avoid arrest or incarceration by making positive changes in their lives. Inside prison and jail, we are a source of support to women and a resource to them as they plan for release. After incarceration, women come to WPA for help to build the lives they want for themselves and their families in the community.”
Write a letter thanking Hillary Clinton and her team:
Hillary For America
P.O. Box 5256
New York, NY
10185-5256
If you need mental health support:
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: 1-800-826-3632
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Mental Health America: 1-800-969-6642
Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
More resources:
Ann Friedman: Finish Your Ugly-Crying. Here’s What Comes Next.
The Mary Sue: What to Do If You’re Trans and Live in America Now
Anil Dash: Forget “Why?”, It’s Time to Get to Work
Nicole Silverberg: What Can I Do Right Now?
Huffington Post: If You’re Overwhelmed by the Election, Here’s What You Can Do Now
Jezebel: A List of Pro-Women, Pro-Immigrant, Pro-Earth, Anti-Bigotry Organizations That Need Your Support
Bust: Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Will Surely Increase. Here’s How to Not be a Bystander
And as always, we welcome all of your ideas.
Collage by Emily Zirimis.
