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"I Intend to Survive"

Love in a Post-Trump Political Landscape

By Jennifer MoneyPublished 7 years ago 3 min read
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Many Americans fear losing health insurance as a result of the recent House vote to make drastic changes to the current Affordable Care Act. The Senate will vote on this bill next with likely challenges. There is a long list of pre-existing conditions for individuals included in this bill, which would lead to high expenses or a total loss of insurance for many Americans.

Mental health conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression are a few examples of pre-existing conditions that could have weakened protections under the bill. Cutting mental health services would mean a loss of needed prescriptions, therapy services, and addiction treatment. These are life-saving services and help keep some functioning within their everyday lives. Cutting insurance coverage could lead to a mental-health crisis for populations who currently face challenges seeking mental health services as it stands.

During the election and after, therapists voiced concerns about the “Trump effect” or “Trumpism.” Trump exhibits traits of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, he uses bullying language, banishment, irrationality, and ideals of self-grandiose within his rhetoric without apology. He appeals to hate that exists within America; it is his fuel. After the election, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and other crisis hotlines and text centers received calls and texts reporting shock and fear related to the election. Many of those individuals were members of the LGBTQ community.

It sometimes feels like the current political climate is quickly becoming a dystopia. I look over at my partner stressed out while binging on our newest addiction, Hulu’s The Handmaid’sTale, based on the book by Margaret Atwood. I am afraid because of how relevant this show is to our current state of affairs. I don’t know what will happen next for the U.S.A. Will we continue to turn into a nation determined to mandate one set of values to justify hate and oppression as traditional values? It is easy to be afraid when you see the world changing quickly around you and people becoming more open about the hatred in their hearts towards minorities.

The world isn’t kind to people of color, to women, queer-identified individuals, those on the non-binary gender spectrum, trans folks, or anyone else who is deemed other. There are many spaces where human beings fear to use the bathroom due to threats of violence or discomfort. Any protections afforded to trans students by Title IV were removed when Trump came into office. This election has further ingrained seeds of Us vs. Them.

This is why we need each other now more than ever. It is important to find our softness to survive the current landscape, even when it feels easier to be apathetic or to shut down. Our partners and friends can help us get through this hard time if we can find a way to be vulnerable and supportive when we need each other the most. Brené Brown, the rockstar of vulnerability says,

To let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen… to love with our whole hearts, even though there is no guarantee—and that’s really hard (…). To practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror, when we’re wondering, “can I love you this much? Can I believe in this passionately? Can I be this fierce about this? Just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say “I’m so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I’m alive.

Try to remember to be silly with each other; be seen by each other in hard times. Go on dates, picnics, do the things you have always wanted to do together. Go on those adventures and road trips with each other if you can. Also, self-care in the landscape of fear and hate is more important than ever. We can all help make it bearable. Plant flowers, volunteer, take bubble baths, play with kids, sit by the water, and find the reasons to keep fighting and to stay alive on days it is hard if you choose to. Try to be kind to one another when you can. Survive the best way you can. We can get through this together.

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About the Creator

Jennifer Money

Jennifer Money currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her partner Katie and their cats Magic and Greta Bean. She has her Master's of Humanities with a focus in WGS. Her interests include plants, feminism, mental health, and poetry.

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