Not Just One Issue; Individuals Worry About Trump’s America
By: Brittany Irwin, Mae Yen Yap
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The election has received quite a bit of build up. For months people were uncertain of what’s to come. And with the results, it brought about many feelings from many different people. For some members and supporters of the LGBT community though, the results were more than just a new president.
Waking up the next day, for some students, was like waking up to a bad dream.
“Where I live is the LGBT mod and I still remember waking up the morning after the election and like it was just nobody like left their room everyone was sad,” freshmen Val said. “No one talked and I just felt horrible like I don’t know what to do.”
“The day after the election, I woke up and it was like I was in the Twilight Zone,” freshman Connor said. “I could not gather myself, I could not make sense of it. It makes me feel so scared for what is to come.”
That was Connor and Val, both freshmen at Ohio University. Different students felt similar things waking up to the news of president elect. But every student that is worried for Donald Trump’s presidency have vastly different worries of what will happen next.
Connor is an environmental activist and has worried thoughts for the future of this environment. He thinks that Donald Trump’s presidency will cause detrimental problems for the world we live in. Connor is concerned about the Paris Agreement, which is an agreement that has a set plan for avoiding environmental issues and creates ways for us to sustain the environment.
“I know Trump has said initially that he wasn’t going to acknowledge the Paris agreement but he went back on that so I am hoping that he decides to abide by the environmental,” Connor said. “But most likely the big business side is gonna win. And the environment is going to be trashed in the next 8 years.”
Some students are worried about the environment around them, but others are concerned about their own safety in the world. Some trans students now feel unsafe by president elect Donald Trump and his policies.
Niko is another freshmen at Ohio University and is worried what the future may hold for him as a member of the LGBT community.
“I’m transgender and I was planning on transitioning but now I don’t even want to transition anymore because I’m so scared of the people I’m in school with that I honestly just feel threatened by like existing and going outside,” Niko said.
Vice President Elect Mike Pence has in the past, been in opposition of Obama’s transgender bathroom bill which allowed trans people to use a bathroom of their choice. Niko feels that with our new vice president, he may not have the same protections.
“Especially Mike Pence’s policies will affect me and I don’t really like that I’m already not very comfortable with myself as a person,” Niko said. “So the fact that I have to worry about my president my vice-president possibly like resulting in my death isn’t exactly comforting.”
However, people are not just resigned to accepting hate of any kind and are ready to make sure their voices are heard. Many activists and people with different identities are coming together for a common goal. Just like many activists and people of all kinds right now, Val believes that staying silent is not the best course of action.
“All I can say is that we can’t just stay silent like we have to get out there we have to protest and we have to let our voices be heard because if we don’t it’s just going to stay the same which is not acceptable,” Val said.
Although there have been people asking for a recount, and people not really sure what to say or do, Connor also believes that members of the minority groups and the activist community need to speak up and not let people silence them.
“Protest. Like so many people are doing, protest,” Connor said. “Let your voice be heard. Get involved in politics. Don’t let anyone trample on your rights.”
For the OUtlet, this is Brittany Irwin.