Canada and the United States are both countries of democracy—ruled by the people. Candidates are elected into office through the power vested in them from citizens’ votes. Well, now more than ever, has that vote become important.
Many people may skip voting, thinking it’s just one vote. Said 40 million people. In 2021, Canada had a 62% voter turnout.
Your single vote makes a difference, especially when human rights are on the line. S Fraser, a . U.S citizen who Identifies as they/them is now no longer legally recognized under the Trump administration.
“It is rather exhausting to live in a place where your rights are always up for debate, your existence is always up for debate, or as we see right now under Trump, they are literally erasing us from legal recognition.” Shared Fraser.
Among Trump’s array of executive orders signed on the first day, was his note of making it clear there are only two genders.
“I feel like it is a bellwether for what is to come for the LGBTQ community. I don’t think he’s just gonna stop at ending legal recognition…He is not going to be happy until trans and non-binary people simply do not exist. And I don’t know what lengths he will go to get there and that’s the scary part.” Added Fraser.
LGBTQ+ Communities have been fighting for rights for years. Just when this fight was getting closer to peace did everything get so easily intercepted.
“What sort of made me worried was during the election year, when I started realizing how bad things were going to get, I was walking down the street on my break. And these two girls in a white SUV decided to yell homophobic slurs at me while I was walking. And that hadn’t really happened to me in many years. And that’s when I sort of realized, like things are really starting to take a turn for the worse.” Shared Fraser.
With Canada facing an nearing election it is important to consider all these factors when deciding on a candidate. Everybody will have their own opinion on what is better for their lives and families but finding mercy for others is also important.
“even if you do not believe that you can stray from the gender that you were assigned at birth, or if you don’t believe that there are more than two genders, that doesn’t negate the fact that many people live and experience where they are not the gender that they are assigned at birth” shared Fraser.
What you believe in matters, your vote carries the weight of changing many people’s lives. It is always important to educate yourself before heading to the polls.
“It is important to look beyond just your lived experiences and try to seek the understanding of other people’s lives before voting against somebody’s rights.” Said Fraser.
