A redditor shared an inspiring message for those anxious about the future of this country. With her permission we’re reposting it here. She has requested to remain anonymous.



Today marks 10 years since I came out as transgender. Talk about a flippin’ ride.

So, today is a pretty special day for me: It marks exactly ten years since I came out as transgender. Ever since the presidential election, I’ve heard a lot of talk about how royally screwed the new administration is going to be for LGBT people. And a lot of it IS true; don’t get me wrong. We’ve got one hell of a fight on our hands.

But remember, I came out 10 years ago. In the Bush years. So let tell you, from first-hand experience: it will not be as bad. Not only will it not, it CANNOT, and for one simple reason: community.

Ten years ago was before the big “It gets better” campaign of 2010-2011, when LGBT rights really kickstarted itself into the public awareness. Nowadays, even if authority is dead set on someone being a second-class citizen, that person has resources within the community.

Back then, though? I don’t mean to sound like a grumpy old timer, but back then you were alone. Godspeed to you.

When I came out I was terrified, and rightly so. Nearly everything I did was uncharted territory, especially for someone living in Kentucky. Not to mention that pretty much everyone I had ever known growing up saw gay people as deviant freaks. (Let alone what they thought of trans people.)

In fact it took me two years to find a therapist, a counselor, or ANYONE with a degree who even knew what trans-anything really meant. (So long that, for over a year, I self-medicated, because I wasn’t sure I ever WOULD find someone.)

Even within the community, when I went to a trans support group I was the youngest person there by at least 20 years (that was real fun). Apparently there was in fact a youth group for all LGBT youth, but I was 20 then so I figured I was too old to attend. All of that pure isolation and hopelessness is what drove me to help found a trans support group at my college.

So that brings me back to my point: while all of these recent changes for the worst in the world may seem like signaling the end of days, trust me when I say, when I repeat the old mantra that has largely been forgotten: IT WILL GET BETTER.

And should you think “Well that’s great but what about now? How the hell do I get through NOW?” I have this to say: You are not alone. Hell, just the fact that you are reading this on the Internet right now proves that. Even if you’re like I was, in a place where there was barely any help to be found in your immediate surroundings, I’d bet you’d be surprised.

Resistance blossoms where it’s needed the most. So don’t be disheartened: if a dumb shit like me made it out of the darkness ten years ago, any one of you smart asses can do it now.