After Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, it’s easy to feel hopeless, especially for queer and trans folks across America. Trump and other Republican candidates have made clear that their plans for the next four years (including Project 2025) will spell disaster for the LGBTQ+ community. But in the face of all this tragedy, one trans woman on TikTok is reminding us why it’s critical we don’t give up.
In the early morning hours after election night, TikToker Lila Rallatos posted a video to remind her followers of how far she’s come and what it means for living under Trump’s presidency.
“I am transgender, and I’ve spent all of my adult life wanting my life to be over. Trying to make my life be over,” Rallatos said in a video that’s since garnered more than 375,000 views. “I’ve spent every waking moment of the past several years wishing that I’d never existed at all, or at least wishing for my existence to end.”
“When I saw that Trump was winning tonight, I came to a realization, which is that I was terrified,” she continued. “Not just for my friends and for my family who would be affected most deeply by his policies, but for myself, as there would be people empowered by this election who would want to hurt me. I already get called slurs outside of car windows when I’m walking home from work.”
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Rallatos’ message may sound like a downer so far, but there’s a spark of hope within her fear.
“I realized that I was scared for my safety. I was scared of losing my life,” she went on. “And I realized I want to live. I really want to live. And I’ve been on this mental health journey for a while now, and I’ve known that I wanted to live for a few months now. For about six months, I’ve been self-harm free. But today was really the kicker: I want to live.”
“Remember, if you are transgender, you have to live,” Rallatos concluded. “It is the greatest form of protest we will ever have. And I’m so happy that you’re alive, and I’m really proud of you.”
Folks in Rallatos’ comments section carried on her message of trans solidarity. “please please please keep existing,” wrote one commenter. “if you can’t get out of bed today that’s okay but please please exist. you have trans siblings everywhere all over the world we are all family and we love you.”
“This video gave me the space I needed to finally cry. It’s been a few years since I slipped with SH,” commented another. “Tonight, I found myself thinking ‘what do WE do NEXT?’ I haven’t felt like that before. Together.”
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