Irina González, MSW Student

Therapist-in-Training, Former Journalist, Founder of Unmasking Therapy

Menu
  • About
  • Published Work
  • Personal Essays
  • Podcast
  • Featured In
  • Contact
Menu

How to deal with the difficulty of a family member who voted for Trump

Posted on November 18, 2016June 11, 2017 by Irina Gonzalez

Please subscribe to my newsletter to get writing news and updates.

There’s no two ways about it: This election has been divisive.

To be honest, it’s been particularly difficult for me. I previously wrote about how proud I was to cast my vote as a bisexual Latina immigrant, three words that are important to me and my identity.

These words mean that I am pro-immigration reform, that I fight for LGBT rights and that I believe in things like the #BlackLivesMatter movement. I also believe in a woman’s right to choose, universal healthcare, in the freedom of the press and religion and that Muslims are generally good people. Oh yes, and that taxes are a good thing (you know, because they provide the money for the government to run things like the military, schools, fix roads and so much more).

But half the country doesn’t agree with me. Or at least, half of the country chose to vote for a man who is a clear racist, sexist, homophobe, Islamaphobe, xenophobe, etc. He’s said horrible things about Mexicans, the disabled and honestly more people than I care to count at this point. And, worst of all (or close to it), he bragged about sexually assaulting women in the now-infamous “grab them by the pussy” comment.

AND YET PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM!

I’ll never understand that. And I’ll especially never understand people I know that voted for him. Which is why I wrote about it in my latest piece for Dose, a really difficult piece that I still stand by 100%. This is how I feel, and I truly fear for this country’s future.

Please read my piece What If I’m Never Able to Introduce My Dad to His Grandkids? on Dose.com.

Want more? Check out all of my writing above and subscribe to my newsletter for news and updates, then follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Irina Gonzalez is a journalist, editor, and sober bisexual Latina mom with ADHD. She is the author of the Parenting in Hard Mode newsletter—for those of us who are raising social justice-minded families and getting real about mental health for parents navigating life on the difficult setting. She is also working on an upcoming book on impactful Latinx Americans with The Quarto Publishing Group.

©2025 Irina González, MSW Student