Why I Gave Up Social Media

So I haven't given up social media for my blog but I have given up looking at my personal Facebook and Twitters. I'm sure it's not hard to guess that I am a Democrat. I don't really talk about politics on my blog because I don't want to lose followers over my views and such. However, after the election I had so much sadness and I was so angry that I needed to do something.

I can't bring myself to look at my Facebook and Twitter anymore. I am so deeply saddened by the fact that someone so hateful, someone who promotes said hate, someone who is so unqualified and someone who is genuinely out to get many, many people in America. I am scared. I am gay. Mike Pence, Donald Trump's running mate, has made it his mission for years to prosecute, intimidate, and dehumanize gay individuals.

There have been so many "friends" and "family" members telling us "whiny, weak, safe space-wanting libtards" to get over it. He's our president now and we should just accept it. It's so easy for people to say who do not understand what it's like to be in the groups that Trump has specifically targeted during his campaign, and Pence has actively tried to get rid of.

You don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like to be scared to hold your partner's hand. You don't know what it's like to debate wearing your hijab or not. You don't know what it's like to be black in America today. Google "Day 1 in Trump's America" and you will find numerous stories of what it's like being in "Trump's America" just one day after the election. People are scared. I get that you think he's going to Make America Great Again for you. But he's putting fear into many, many Americans hearts.

I woke up on November 9th scared. I had a pit in my stomach. I'm not only scared for myself. I'm scared for black people, muslims, immigrants, hispanics. You're not scared because you don't have to be. You're not someone that Donald Trump has been making it his mission to intimidate over the last year.

After seeing hateful and insensitive things Republicans and Libertarians are saying ("get over it") I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe I'm weak. Maybe I need a safe space. But it was getting to me. I was constantly unhappy. I was hurt that some people I considered friends saying that I should just get over it and that it wasn't that big of a deal. He held up a rainbow flag one time, so clearly he loves gay people (btw it doesn't work that way).

It affected me so much. I was constantly getting online to see what everyone was saying and immediately getting so angry and upset. I didn't want to feel that way. I started unfriending people but it seems like everyone is saying something that I don't agree with. I get it, not everyone is going to agree. But social media over the past few months has been so insanely negative it's been hard to deal with. I wake up in the morning and I'm angry; I go to bed at night and I'm angry. That's not a way to live.

So I'm taking a break for a little while. I'll still be on my blog social media sites. But I can't keep reading "friends" and "family" being so cruel and callous to people's fears and concerns. I can't keep being so angry all of the time because of what other people are saying. It's not healthy.

Instead, I'm going to focus on making myself happy. I'm going to read more, spend more time with Koda, Nani, and Kayla, do more yoga, and just make sure I'm taking care of myself and doing what is making me happy. Maybe I'll come back after the news of the election has died down, or maybe I'll like not being so consumed all of the time. But for right now, I need silence.