Here is your cranky, old, queer Auntie. I survived the first wave of AIDS under Reagan and his administration’s concerted effort to end queers. I survived the feminist porn wars. I also happen to live in Brooklyn, NY on 9/11 and lived in Rexburg, ID when the damn broke, destroying my entire childhood town. So survival is kinda my thing.
I’m not talking about making bunkers and stuffing it with boxes of pre-made meals from Costo. The Costco survivalist aisle makes me NOT want to survive any apocalypse. Seriously, the shoppers in that aisle are not who I want to walk the barren wastelands with. I’m talking about surviving a political genocide, surviving as a culture, as a people.
There are tons of folks on social media today saying, “Feel your feels. But go on,” or “this is whyte people acting foolish.” This minimizes what just happened. I’m a political psychologist, so a bit more qualified to make statements on this than most. Let’s get some context.
WTF Happens Now
The US just elected a narcissist with strong authoritarian leanings for a second term. We also handed his party the Senate choked full with sycophantic boot lickers. Many of the state and local level offices have just been packed with more extremists and hate-mongers who made no secret of their commitment to white supremacy and the patriarchy during campaigns. This wasn’t’ just one dude getting one important office. It was a lot of hate-driven folks given control over a huge swath of policies which will deeply impact our day-to-day lives.
Giving this narcissist driven by hate and the inability to tell the truth in any situation, a second term will embolden him. With the results of the other election wins, we are going to hear a ton of messaging around a “Republican mandate” and the “countries desire to return to more ‘traditional’ [read: racist, sexist, xenophobic] policies.
This round is going to be way more destructive than 2016-2020. When mango Mussolini won in 2016, he was clearly shocked that this happened. He had no real plans or understanding of how the government worked. He still managed to tank the economy, roll back rights, install judges to do his bidding, and commit crimes against humanity at the southern border. This time, he and his cronies have a plan (Project 2025). This will be their clear legislative agenda come January.
We will be faced with bills at the state and federal level appearing in rapid-fire succession designed to overwhelm the opposition and make it impossible to mount a reasonable response to the onslaught of damaging legislation.
The impacts of this election will not end in two or four years. The damange planned by the folks who were just elected and supported by a big percentage of Americans will last the better part of a generation.
So how to we (the targets of this hate-based agenda) survive?
If you have a uterus:
If you are still able to become pregnant, consider long-lasting or permanent birth control. I love my Mirena IUD but not everyone can tolerate those. There are several options for reversable and non-reversable long-term birth control. If you don’t have that now, make an appointment with your GYN this month.
Stock up on Plan B or other emergency contraceptive options. Planned Parenthood and similar clinics often provide it for free with a visit. Stock up. If not for you, for friends and family.
Identify current state programs which help people in abortion deserts find care. Her in CA, we have passed a constitutional right to abortion AND funded a program which provides travel and lodging costs to help people in other states make the trek to CA for an abortion. Check out this list for the state nearest you with these programs. https://abortionfunds.org/fund/access-reproductive-justice/#:~:text=Our%20services%20are%20open%20to,form%20if%20you%20need%20support.
If you are on a prescription birth control, be it a pill, injection, patch or other, talk to your doctor about possible options if these are outlawed. The right is targeting all access to reproductive control, so know your possible options before they disappear.
If you are trans/gender nonconforming:
If you are already on hormonal treatments, find out how much you can stockpile and how long it will last.
If you have been considering any gender-affirming surgery, get it in the books NOW.
If you have wanted to do a name or gender change on documents, do it NOW as it may not be an option later. Additionally, if you need to flee the country, this will help document that you are a target of oppression and potential harm by the US Government.
Form and fortify your network of trans and GNC people. Having folks with more experience in transition will be critical for your own survival. Providing information and support for those with less time in their journey will be your contribution. Can’t find something near you? Email me. I have contacts in most states who will connect with you and support you.
Find out which local and state groups advocate for trans folks near you. These activists will continue the fight and will have resources.
If you are queer:
Deepen your connections with your local queer community. This may be through a community center, potluck group, meet-up, or just a friendship network. We will not survive in isolation. Community is key.
Stock up on queer lit. The goal of many of the book bans is to strip our connection to our history and our community. Having queer lit in your favorite genre (be it paperback, audio books, or other media) will help. Same goes for queer movies, music, and art.
Find an advocacy group near you and get on the mailing list. These groups will alert you to changes in policies and laws, help you find resources, and provide a point of hope.
If you are a proud ‘ho:
Consider starting PrEP or DoxyPep today. As our community is targeted, it may become more difficult to access these medications. Having an established prescription will help in the worst-case scenario.
Stock up on barrier protections. As part of turning women into breeding stock, there are plans to limit access to OTC birth control. Pick up male condoms, female condoms, dental dams, or whatever else you will need and stockpile this stuff.
If you are poor:
It is going to get bad. Very bad. Social safety net programs are going to be targeted for reduction or elimination at the federal level. The GOP has made it clear they want to remove protections for pre-existing conditions in health care and eliminate much of the funding for things like Medicaid. Identifying the providers in your area who do low/no cost preventative care will be critical.
Prices are going to skyrocket. Many corporations released their plans to increase consumer prices as a response to the orange idiot’s tariff threats. Basics will go up. Identify your local food pantry and places where you can get toilet paper, soap, and other essentials for free. Knowing now will prepare you for the next four years.
If you are disabled:
Connect with groups of folks who live with your disability (or a similar one). When I was running an AIDS foundation in the 1990s, we kept information on who was on what drugs and who had extras. When someone passed or no longer needed a medication, we rehomed it to people who could not access it. While not legal, this will become more and more necessary as our healthcare is attacked.
If you have the capacity to stockpile medication (for example, filling each month a week early to build up extra supply) do so. We may be losing our healthcare in a year
If you live in an area prone to natural disasters, make a solid plan with someone in a different area, for emergencies. FEMA is already underfunded, and this incoming administration wants to further diminish their services. Getting accessible help in a disaster is not going to be guaranteed. Make plans now.
If you are not a citizen:
Make sure your paperwork is in order and up-to-date. If you are here on a green card, employment visa, or similar status, you may be asked to produce this for police and other authorities. The mass deportation efforts will not be subtle and ol’ orange asshat has promised to target people who are here and documented. Having these documents up to date and readily accessible will be important.
If you are not documented, make plans if you are arrested, detained, or deported. If you have children (especially if they were born in the US), have a plan for them. Make plans with people in the country you are from in case you are deported. This is not something to do only when you need it.
Get a clear understanding of your legal rights while you are here in the U.S. The National Immigrant Justice Center is a great place to start. https://immigrantjustice.org/legal-resources
Everyone:
Consider starting mutual aid societies. Get a group of folks who can put money into helping people pay electric bills, car repairs, and other expenses to keep them housed and healthy.
Buy books on the banned book lists. We will see more and more books pulled from library shelves and banned for sale. Preserve this literature.
Get involved with your school boards. Go to meetings. Speak up. Do what you can to be a voice of reason and pro- fact-based education for our kids.
Begin walking and going out in groups. Under this asshat, hate crimes increased exponentially. They will again, and on a faster trajectory. Protect yourself by massing together when you walk to cars, go to bars, etc.
Look, as communities of queers, BIPOC, and women, we have made it through this and other disasters before. We have established methods to ensure group survival. Some of us will not make it through the next four years. That is devastating to me. We must fight like hell. The above are practical steps to implement today.
May the odds be ever in your favor.