To those of you who have told me to stop crying about the election,

My answer is: No.

I will never stop crying.

Most of you are from the generation that these results will affect the least. I am a young woman just getting ready to go out into the world to try and survive, I am the person who this country is being handed down to, so what I feel is up to me.

To invalidate anyone’s emotions is simply wrong. Feelings are feelings. They are not scientific. They cannot be measured. Oftentimes, they do not come from logic. But in this case, they do. I have every reason to feel upset.

Many of you have told me that he’s not actually going to do everything he says he’s going to do.

Well, my friend, you don’t understand the actual problem.

Trump has brought out the bigotry that was hiding within the walls of this country. The people who have spray painted swastikas on brick walls, who have told Muslim women to go hang themselves with their hijab, who have started using the word “fag” as frequently as “hello.” He has validated all of their hatred. Trump’s rhetoric  got him elected president. What’s to stop the average racist from responding physically to his hateful comments? What’s to stop him from putting people in power who actually believe that rhetoric?

I am extremely privileged; the only thing that societally holds me back is my gender. But I am scared for all of my friends. I am scared for all of the people who are marginalized, all of the women, the Mexican immigrants, Muslims, African-Americans, members of the LGBT community…I love them. It is my duty to express my anger about this election. And if you didn’t feel a major slap in the face from these results, that’s your privilege talking.

You have told me to unify. You have told me to shut up and get over it. But I will be louder than ever.

I used to be scared of standing up to hatred. Now I realize that if I am silent, hatred becomes president.

Give me time to grieve. Stop trying to justify your choice in president. He won. Give my friends and I time to process all of this.

I am not saying that you are necessarily a bad person. You might not be.  It’s possible that you just don’t understand all of this.

Trump’s rhetoric was based on hatred. So I will fight back with love. I will use my words for good.

I encourage you to do the same.