Feeling down about this recent election shocker? Relax, you’re not the only one. But while some of us have just ambled forward, hoping to keep our heads down for the next four years, there’s a “clandestine” organization out there looking at the bigger picture. Pantsuit Nation initially started as an online forum for people— predominantly women— to share stories about what it meant for them to witness the first woman president. Powerful, emotional stories were being shared and it seemed like a woefully marginalized faction of the USA would finally get their opportunity to hold the top office in the land. And then on the eve of November 8, it all came crashing down.
Suddenly, the Pantsuit Nation was no longer a forum dedicated to hope, it became proactive— a loose group working towards supporting one another and figuring out a means to let Congress and the rest of the United States know that something graver than yet another man winning over a woman had transpired. In some spheres, this election was closer to a hate crime perpetrated on the collected minority populaces.
The Pantsuit Nation’s Toledo arm is a bridge to the Toledo Area Progressives. At the same time, they’re still figuring themselves out. Rather than trying to explain, we figured we’d let members and Facebook page moderators Emily Rippe Desmond, Yvonne Goodwin, Erin Moran Wiley, Tracy Hudson, Greg Van Vorhis, Kari Stausmire Halterman and Teri Thomas tell you what they’re about.
So that election didn’t go as expected… what happens now?
Election Day and the days immediately following the Election, were extremely difficult to say the least. There was a general feeling of hopelessness and depression among the left. Nobody saw this coming. Nobody.
A few days before the election, many people, the majority of them women, were being added to a secret Facebook group called Pantsuit Nation. It was a way for Hillary Clinton supporters to share their stories and reasons why they were voting for Secretary Clinton. It was super powerful; everyone should have seen these testimonials.
As we watched the election results roll in, there was a lot of concern amongst the group members. One woman in PSN asked if this was really happening? The group’s tone changed from proud and optimistic for the first U.S. woman president to terrified and shocked that our country elected a reality television star with no filter or respect for women, minorities and disabled people as our Commander-In-Chief.
The day after Election Day, regional groups, including PSN Toledo Area Progressives started appearing on Facebook. It began as a way to commiserate over the news, form online friendships with likeminded folks (I gained 900 new friends in two days and was banned for “liking” posts too much), and post updates, news articles and memes. Together, we all went through the various stages of grief.
It didn’t take long for some of the group’s members to mobilize—take the discussion offline and apply it directly to the community. So that’s what we’re doing now. We’re taking all our ideas, all the reasons we consider ourselves “progressive,” which range from women’s issues to LGBTQ+ issues to Black Lives Matter and race issues to Latino issues to health care issues, to labor issues, to the environment, to education, to understanding government, the list goes on and on. We all have our reasons. So now? Now we take these ideas and we connect with others in our community who are working toward a common goal or goals. Whether that’s fighting for a woman’s right to choose or protecting our Muslim friends from being targeted or fighting for equality of any marginalized group, we aim to help fellow PSN Toledo Area Progressive members find their safe, welcoming spaces in the Toledo community. Only time will tell how this group will truly impact the community at large. We can’t wait to see what happens.
Now that the election is “officially” over, why is the Pantsuit nation still holding rallies? Is there a new aim? Or is there some way for Hillary to still be elected?
PSN Toledo Area Progressives aren’t planning any rallies. Right now, we are addressing the group’s concerns by organizing networking events for our members to meet each other in person and form subcommittees based on our members’ primary causes. We hope to connect them with existing organizations in the area that might need our ideas and passion. Our group is not about Hillary Clinton and we are under no illusions that she will become President now. Plus, our group welcomes Bernie Sanders supporters, independents, Green Party members, and other progressive folks. We do not align with a particular candidate, though some of our focuses might be more political than others.
Was the media out of touch with the voters, are people just not ready for a woman president or is there something else at play?
People love to blame others and ideas like “the media,” but what does that even mean. Is this Fox News’ fault? The Blade? How media outlets handled Clinton’s “email scandal” verses Trump’s sexual allegations? It’s lazy to blame the media on this outcome. There are many elements at play including, but not limited to voter apathy, underestimating the people in this country who view change in a different light than progressives (backwards rather than forwards), and the Democratic Party being split into fractions. While many women advocated for the candidate, lots of other Democratic-leaning groups did not necessarily rally behind her. We have ourselves to blame if anything, which is why it’s refreshing to see all of us uniting now. That’s one great thing that has come out of this election cycle.
Why is the safety pin a symbol of the party?
The safety pin isn’t the official symbol for PSN. Not every member buys into that. However, we do see it as a symbol of solidarity. You will see people wearing safety pins to indicate to minorities and people experiencing discrimination and hatred that they are a safe person. A person you can trust. A person who will not hurt you. We are holding the community together by being welcoming. We’d also like to note that not everyone likes the idea of the safety pin seeing it as a “slacktivist” effort. Basically, “I’m wearing this symbol but not really doing anything to back up how I will keep you safe.” Whether it’s the thought of being a safe person for marginalized groups, or if you are working hard to make the world a better place, wear that pin with pride!
What would you consider to be counterproductive actions to the Pantsuit Nation’s overall goal?
Inner-group disagreements will be very difficult for this group to combat. There are nearly 2,000 folks in the PSN Toledo Area Progressives group alone, and they are all compassionate with strong personalities. We all have our ideas on what this movement could or should be. If we don’t listen and respect one another, we will fall short. We need to be cognizant of the needs of every group represented in PSN, and listen to them when they are telling us, “Actually, this doesn’t work because…”
What can people do to join?
Please attend our initial networking meeting this Sunday, November 20 from 7-9 p.m. at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo. We will be introducing ourselves, meeting fellow group members and sharing ideas from some truly impactful established groups. It will be a roomful of the most “get shit done” kind of people you could care to meet. Together, we can carry each other through the next four years.
Join the Pantsuit Nation movement: 7-9pm. Sunday, November 20. Buddhist Temple of Toledo, 6537 Angola Rd., Holland. buddhisttempleoftoledo.org
