Can you guys believe it's only been a week.
A GOT-DANGIT WEEK. IT FEELS LIKE CENTURIES.
Listen, I know so many of us are scared, disassociating, and angry. I'm currently doing all three at the same time! Just know that you matter, your existence matters, the world is a better place with you in it. I feel that a lot of us realized how much women, especially women of color, are actually seen in the United States and it's atrocious. I'm not surprised, but I'm disgusted anyways.
One thing that my writing gives me is catharsis. I get to write about toxic masculinity and how stupid it makes both men and women. My male characters are not just shallow, cardboard cut-outs for sexual fantasy, they contain real ideals and themes that continue to infect our society. The idea of a hyper-violent man that would destroy the world to protect someone he loves is a fantasy that many women have, that we ARE worth burning the world down for. Unfortunately, that's not reality.
The reality is that many men use women, especially white women, as tools to continue their sense of control over those they deem as 'lesser than'. (My white supremacist grandfather from Arkansas said it was about 'keeping everyone in line', including women.) And many women play into this because they think they aren't being targeted, that they will also be saved if they show how useful they are to these types of men. They don't realize their necks are still on the block, even when they lay down their heads willingly. They don't realize that this hatred extends to themselves, as well. That's why the 'pick me' mentality doesn't work.
I wish I could say that we all will be okay, but I feel that we all know better than that. What I can say is that we have each other, we have our found families, we have our communities, and we no longer have to tolerate catering to people who see us as sub-human. They will feel these consequences, even if they lack the mental capacity to self-reflect and understand their own actions caused all of it. Let them. We're used to this fight. Women and the LGBTQ+ community have been fighting for thousands of years to establish and retain human rights. While coddled, wealthy white men scream about egg prices and how they have a right to a woman's body.
It's okay to feel scared, angry, disgusted, and hopeless. But don't let it defeat you. I will be channeling these feelings and destructive themes into my artwork, as I know many creatives will also do. Art is a foundation of resistance, it is integral to our culture. It motivates, comforts, and inspires the people that it's meant for.
I will be taking a short break to recover my center, so there will not be an update this week. I feel that it's important we tend to our souls first. Reach out to others experiencing this too. Make your favorite meals. Find connection through your own hobbies and artwork to express these feelings in a healthy way. And most importantly, do not despair. You do not have to fight the current to keep your head above water. Sometimes you just have to lay back and float.
So, let's float through this together, my friends. <3
TLDR; elections are terrifying with real-world consequences. It's okay to take a break if you need to. There won't be an update to the fic this week as I also try to process what is going on. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other. <3
