Cannot and will not stand.

The transgender people I know are some of the most civic-minded community activists I've ever met. They fight for everyone's rights because they've had to fight for their own, and they don't back down from those fights. They stand proudly as who they are: human beings who care about other human beings. They are very strong people because they have faced hate and despair and rejection and they are still standing.

The president and current majority government are none of these things. The president won the election NINE MONTHS ago, and he is still complaining about not winning the popular vote and alleging massive voter fraud, even though he won. He regularly insults and belittles his fellow citizens and colleagues. He appears to believe that the laws of this country don't apply to him.

Many of the current majority government claim to be compassionate Christians while they plot to remove health care from millions of their constituents, including veterans. They twist religious texts to suit their purposes. They refuse to scrutinize and reform military spending as an alternative to cutting health care while giving tax cuts to the rich. Many of them seem to care more about being reelected and having the (financial) support of major industries to actually governing.

I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer rights. I support our troops and veterans. I cannot support this president and his hateful and dismissive words. I am thankful that one of my senators is willing to stand up to him. I do not support my other senator or my representative and I look forward to voting against them.

As you know, I am almost 8 months pregnant with my first child. I am not afraid of childbirth or caring for a baby. In my most doubting, worried moments, I am afraid that I will not succeed in raising a compassionate, civic-minded person who can recognize and do the right thing. A person who will not be fooled by bullying rhetoric or blinded by financial success. A person not at all like this president or current majority government. A person like my transgender friends.