I want to speak straight to my Trump supporting sisters , all of you out there. I am no longer striving to convince you that your vote for Trump is dangerous. At this point, if you cannot see it, nothing I say or post or promote will sway you. His own words don’t push you away, scare you, mobilize you. So I want to assure you that the rest of us have your back. We will protect your children, we will stand up for your neighbors, we will respect religions other than ours and we will salute vets with PTSD. I understand you aren’t able yet, maybe you never will be ready, to stand up to a powerful man. Maybe your views are colored by the bullying men in your life. Or maybe, somehow you are in that small percentage of women who have not been exposed to sexual violence. I celebrate you, I am jealous of you. You were able to watch the debate last night and avoid the visceral response I had, my body clenching, silent screaming for someone to make Trump back away, stop looming over Clinton’s back. I felt afraid for her, I wanted her to run, to move away from him, to find safety. This man who has admitted to attempted sexual assault stood too closely, out of her eyesight, surely she was aware of his presence. But you were watching and it didn’t bother you that he was trying to physically intimidate a woman, another presidential candidate, before our very eyes. Lucky you, your eyes are free to see what you want.

No worries, just as some women sat out of the fight for equality that now ensures you get to vote for this man, just as some women sat of the fight for reproductive rights that allowed you to use birth control in college, you can sit out this fight. Your sisters will ensure this man never holds power over any of us, your brothers are joining us too. They know the stakes as well. They have sisters and daughters and mothers and have actually been molested themselves. They have been discriminated against, they have fought in wars they cannot defend and come home damaged and been mocked by your candidate for their psychological response. Go ahead and vote for him, we gotcha.

It calls to mind Michael Jackson, we all loved his music, grew up on his videos. Yet the rumors and charges of his molestation of young boys were pervasive. Most were free to believe or not with little consequence to themselves, they never would be faced with dropping their own child off for an over-night at Neverland.  I wonder, my sisters,  would you leave your beautiful daughters alone with this man?  But don’t worry, most of you will never have to face that test. You may though someday have to tell those same daughters how you chose not to support their safety. I can’t help you with that.