I'm With Her (and Him and They and All Of You) | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

I'm With Her (and Him and They and All Of You)

Why I Am Standing By Those That I Love In The Margins

14
I'm With Her (and Him and They and All Of You)
Emily Sto

I promised myself that I would try to stay away from talking about politics frequently on social media. My philosophy was to “stay above the fray” and channel my inner Michelle Obama. “When they go low, we go high.” The rule was that I could say my opinion on anything that I wanted to until after the election, and after a candidate was elected.

Though I would prefer to mull over these ideas that I have in my head a bit more, I think that I need to say something while there is chaos. Silence is the preferred choice. It is easier and has no consequence, no family member privately messaging me, no friends calling me names. To be silent is a luxury and a privilege. Therefore I cannot continue to be quiet, and I ask that you bear with me while I share from my own heart.

I’m With Her

The girl that believed in her candidate, that worked tirelessly for a cause that she believed in, only to be cussed out and demeaned by an unapologetic individual. The female that stood up against the cruel crowd and continued to speak her truth time and time again. The women all over the United States that believed that a female president would result in better rights, that representation would lead to less sexual harassment, more opportunities, an overall less sexist, more equal society for females. My feet are planted, not because we will always agree on everything, heck we might even disagree immensely on key ideas. Yet, none of that matters, because we need to stand together and support each other's choice, rather than tear each other apart. We are a group that is far too often been passed over and abused and now is the time to come together.

I’m With Him

The men that I love that are aware of the hurting hearts around them. The guys that are standing with their friends and family. Men that will now be working to deconstruct the damage done by thoughtless words. We all know that sometimes we misspeak, yet so often our misspoken words create chasms and cut deeply into those that we love. I am standing by those that are trying to build bridges and speak life into the dark spaces.

I’m With Them

The boys that love boys who are now even more afraid. The girls that were given the chance to marry their sweethearts and now feel that their right is threatened. My LGTBQ family is terrified and hurting because even if their last choice candidate has not been incredibly cruel directly, everyone else around him has been. Their emotions, the twisty of the insides, the drop of dread within one's throat-they cannot be ignored. It has taken so long for the LGTBQ community to receive the right to love who they love, to receive justice for the hate crimes committed against them, and now there is the fear that all of that could be taken away with few signed pieces of legislation. I am with my LGTBQ family, and if you are going to hurt or demean them, you will have to deal with me first.

I’m With All Of You

My beautiful, hilarious Hispanic coworkers, the families with kind eyes. My immigrant friends, the Muslins that I serve on a weekly basis that are gracious and loving. I have seen the hate that is vocally directed towards you, and I am sorry that you feel afraid. I apologize that hate has been sent your way, but please know that you are not forgotten or not seen.

The United States’ citizens are afraid and restless. For so many, the future feels terrifying and unknown, even threatening. Therefore, I ask, no, rather I beg you to be gentle with your fellow humans. I urge that you step out and speak with someone you might not ordinarily. Tell them that you are glad that they are alive because at some point or another we all are going to need someone to tell us that they see us and love us just the same.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

82118
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

9439
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments