“Not My President, Still My Country” ~ Tayte Hanson

“I stood, handcuffed in front of Trump Tower which was protected by dump trucks and felt the pain …”

Out of the mouths of babes. Literally.

Earlier this week, we shared the reactions of many in our community.

For gay porn star Tayte Hanson, he has turned his reaction into action.

Not My President, Still My Country

Chants of “this is what democracy looks like” echoed across 5th Avenue from strained throats on the night of 11/8 as thousands gathered in front of Trump’s residence to show their disapproval of the president-elect. Standing directly in front of the tower which was, so fittingly, guarded by a line of NYC sanitation trucks, two temporary fences, and a shoulder-to-shoulder line of police officers I couldn’t help but to feel proud and disgusted, content and angry, love and hate all at once.

The crowd at my back was hispanic. They were caucasian. They were black. They were transgender. Gay. Female. Most importantly they were American. The police line, too, was hispanic, black, transgender, gay and female and as I stared into the eyes and mouthed “I’m sorry” to the officer directly in front of me I could see that, while doing her job to keep the community safe and unruly, she too was sorry. Sorry that she was now protecting the man that many of those wearing blue voted against. Sorry that she had to stand in the freezing cold and pretend to care about Donald Trump who has insulted her as a woman, a latina, and quite possibly on many more fronts.

Confusion set in as “love trumps hate” chants began to ring as “New York hates Trump” and the dichotomy of love and hate residing in one space forced me to remain silent, yet present. The gatherers in the street were present to bring love and peace to the forefront, to release fear, to help people who don’t fit in, and yet one man, one very dark cloud of hate, began to rain down on them and love for the world quickly became hate for him. True, genuine, hate from so many who love so much.

Donald Trump is but one man and “lite” supporters of him will be the first to tell you that the “little man with a loud mouth” is all talk and will simple shake politics up and this may very well be the case. It terrifies me, however, to think that the loud mouth of this little man is being echoed throughout elementary schools in the south reminding children that bullying is okay, in bathroom stalls where transgender Americans have to watch their backs for constant fear of assault, and in the hearts and minds of the people who never felts welcome in the land of the free in the first place. The words of the founders that once united us are now being used as a weapon to begin a four year witch hunt among anyone who doesn’t fit the qualifications laid out by Hitler himself.

Welcome to the once great land of the States of America.

Donald Trump will never be my president because he doesn’t believe people like me should have equality. This country, however, will always be mine. I will stand amongst as many like-minded, loving, peaceful people as I must to see that we are heard. We will not let hatred and fear separate us, and we are not afraid.

Stronger Together.

Tayte turned his actions into words. He encouraged to “share if we care.” And we do.

Thank you, Tayte.

 
And now, back to our regularly scheduled pornography.