I know it’s scary, I’m not downplaying that, I’m literally crying as I type this because I’m terrified what’s going to happen, but please don’t be dispirited. Each time these elections don’t go the way I wished they would, you have to look at the glimmers of hope. There has been some historic firsts that happened in this country tonight with strides for LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, POC rights, etc. I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be a hell of a fight going forward and it’s going to suck so fucking bad, but you don’t stay quiet and you don’t become complacent. You speak out when it’s safe for you to do so and you vote in every damn election, even the mid terms, up and down the ballot no matter how hopeless it appears. You don’t let them take that vote from you but not just for you but for every LGBTQ+, girl, or colored child out there that will be future voters themselves one day. You keep going for them so they may live in a better and safer place. Yeah it sucks it’s up to you now and you may not ever see the benefits of the very things you fight for, but you do it regardless for the sheer spite of it! Otherwise everything that everyone has ever fought for civil rights was for nothing. You don’t let their efforts end here and especially not to these bigoted hateful prejudice fascists, they don’t deserve to trample over all the good that has been done throughout this country’s history. And not just for the people of this country. Do it for every LGBTQ+ person in another country being killed for simply loving someone or just identifying with what makes them comfortable. Do it for every woman who is forbidden from going to school and is being married off somewhere in the world right now. Do it for every person of color who is living somewhere not being represented. It took them 50 years to repeal Roe V Wade, if it takes another 50 years to reinstate it then dammit, so be it! You’re allowed to be sad or angry about how things went down, you’re entitled to take sometime for your mental health because you’re definitely going to need it going forward for the next four years, but you also have to recognize the privileges you still do have, that they are going to try to take away from you, but until your last breath, you keep fighting for it. Because what if the alternative happened at any other time in history? Then you wouldn’t have even had the chance to have your voice heard, you might not have even been born depending on the circumstances of your life, and I assure you, the world is much more brighter with each of you guys in it, even just for the betterment of my life, I’m happier knowing you guys all exist, don’t let your light be diminished this way.