Post-election reflection

I am a woman. I am a lesbian. And I am scared.Fear is not a new concept for this election. Donald Trump’s campaign has been based upon terror and hatred of the “other.” But with Tuesday night’s results, I find that I am the one living in fear. It’s not so much that I’m worried about what Trump will do once he’s in office. I recognize the figurehead nature of the presidency. What terrifies me is that so many Americans voted for him.People have tried to console me by telling me that people voted for his fiscal policies, not his social ones. This brings me little hope. Anyone who can discount that rhetoric frightens me.It saddens me that this fear has penetrated so deeply into the communities that I care about. I am frightened for my female friends. For my LGBTQ friends. For my POC friends. And especially for my friends that are combinations of all three.Already, one of my friends was called a trans slur. Another was asked when they were going to be deported. These election results have provided an outlet for previously hidden hatred to be expressed. I have never felt fully safe walking alone in the dark, but now I feel even less so.I am a woman. I am a lesbian. And I am scared.Sarah Kaden