Election 2016

... the last thing I want to do is open my legs for a man to penetrate me. Or to pleasure a man with any part of my body. Even if that man is my loving fiancé, who does listen, who does understand (as best he can), who does respect me through this ongoing turmoil. It is all too symbolic of the lifetime I have already experienced of being fucked and then told to smile and politely ask for more.

I could very easily slip through the next four years with blinders on and feel largely unaffected by the political climate. Which is why it’s so important for me to remind myself every day to stay in the fight. Even when it doesn't affect me personally, I owe it to my allies to remain vigilant all (four) year(s) long.

We need to rethink government and politics, and perhaps the best way to do it is to visualize it the way we would explain it to our kids.

While it is important to me to teach my children why I vote and have the political leanings I do, it is equally important to me that my children are critical thinkers who can decide their own political leanings when they are adults.

We are 17 days from the election. There is no amount of Facebook unfriending that is going to make you not related to your Fox-News-addicted Uncle Jeff. Your father will still be your father, whether he votes for Donald Trump or Santa Claus. In the zen tradition, I have a long way to go but if I make it until November 9th, I’m golden. Here’s my plan — but you might not like it.

If you find yourself feeling hurt, mad, sad, etc. about the election this year, go ahead and feel it. Cry in front of your dad. Eat some queso. When it’s all said and done, feel how you need to feel. The only way to foster a healthy relationship between emotion and politics is to acknowledge that there is one in the first place, and that it probably needs fixing.

We talk about having debate-watching parties, popping popcorn, making bets… it’s all a little weird, and probably not good for democracy.