What Trump's Presidency Means For Minorities | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

What Trump's Presidency Means For Minorities

Hope always dies last. We will survive this.

16
What Trump's Presidency Means For Minorities
ConservativeReview.com

As of November 8, Donald Trump was elected president. For many intersectionalized groups, this was the worst possible outcome of the election. The Trump and Pence duo has expressed quite a few anti-lgbt and anti-immigrant ideals. Among these are Trump’s immense desire to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep out immigrants, and Pence’s claim that electrocution could be used to help queer-identifying individuals “curb sexual desires.”

Among a sea of schemes so outrageous they nearly sound humorous, Trump has actually made some genuinely terrifying statements during his campaign. Trump has said that he plans to make Muslims wear badges in public and force them to register to a database. For anyone who remembers learning about World War II, this sounds strikingly similar to Jews in Nazi Germany being registered as Jewish and wearing stars of David.

His running mate and Vice President-Elect, Mike Pence, has a years-long record of supporting anti-woman and anti-LGBT policies. Pence has stated before that he believes that abortion and marriage equality have no place in the United States, but perhaps his most dangerous quality is his support of conversion therapy.

For anyone who has been spared the gritty details of conversion therapy, it is intended to “fix” a gay or transgender individual. Although sometimes it’s as harmless as forcing people to go to church, conversion therapy can also include inhumane practices such as feeding patients human feces while showing them gay porn. Of course this so-called “treatment” has been shown to be ineffective in curing queer identifying individuals, and it can also lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

So, what will this all mean for minority groups?

A lot of people seem to think that Trump’s election means the start of a second Holocaust, but we have policies in place to prevent that sort of thing. The United Nations are meant to prevent another world war, and United States congress is meant to keep the President from doing anything unconstitutional.

The main issue isn’t that our president would send all LGBT citizens to concentration camps and make abortions punishable by the same jail sentences as murder. The problem is that people have seen Trump making racist, sexist, and homophobic comments, but he’s still won the presidency. This sends the message that you can be a sexual predator or commit violent hate The nation’s choice in this election has shown that the public hasn’t become as open as we’ve thought in the past eight years. A good portion of the United States still oppose women’s, LGBT, and transgender rights.

So, what can you do if you want to combat this hate? The first step is to look out for any minorities; use your privileges to your advantage. Watch out for women, people of color, and gay couples, and defend them if someone seems like they may become violent. Don’t think that you’re overreacting. Call the authorities if someone is becoming violent, and do not leave the victim alone. Videotape the assailant if possible.

You can also sign a petition persuading the electoral college to give the presidency to Hillary on December 19th, but it’s a long shot, and even with Hillary in the Whitehouse, it won’t fix the hatred of individuals.

The easiest way to combat this, though, is peaceful protests. Don’t become complacent. If Trump and Pence try to take our rights away, fight back. Don’t stop creating and spreading peace and knowledge. Above all else, remember that hope always dies last. We will be okay, and we will survive the next four years.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1642
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1001
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200191
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading... Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20881
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading... Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading... Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments