Familial Bonds and Political Boundaries: Why you should prioritize yourself this holiday season

By Jordan Huber

Fall break is almost here. In a few days, many of you will make your way back home, or spend the break with friends, and get some much needed rest. Unfortunately for some of you, that might mean dealing with some family members who are going to loudly and proudly state that their guy won the election. As much as the rest of the family might groan and try to change the subject, Uncle John will keep saying how great the next four years are going to be and how the country is back on track. You could decide that it’s time to stop dealing with years of his incoherent ramblings and that you are ready for holiday festivities to be a shot-for-shot remake of the Christmas episode in the show The Bear. If that situation applies to you, you might be wondering: is it worth it to spend the holidays with people who voted differently than you?

I am excluding Green Party and Peace and Freedom Party voters in our scenario. I think most of them voted with good intentions, also despised Trump, and had some real criticisms of Harris that we could agree on. So, we can be trusted to not throw carving knives at each other.

You are valid for feeling like you should distance yourself from people who voted differently than you if you think it is going to be detrimental for your mental and physical well-being. These feelings are even more intense for those who know that a Trump presidency means their rights are now in jeopardy. Reproductive healthcare, mass deportations, and marriage equality are all threatened now. For those who identify with communities that face that level of harm, I do not think that wanting to avoid people who support a man who is going to try to take away your rights is something you should dismiss. You do not need to play nice with the family for the day with folks who support a man found liable of sexual abuse. You have the right to look out for yourself and take the time to digest what has transpired. 

To give you some background on my extended family, one of my family members has openly been a part of the LGBTQ+ community for decades. They found the love of their life with someone who was the same sexual orientation as them. They spent a lifetime with a partner, who has sadly since passed, in a country that did not allow same-sex marriages nationwide until 2015. Never would I consider voting for someone who has nominated Supreme Court Justices that treat my family member’s marriage as second-rate to straight couples. My great-grandfather flew 73 missions in a B-26 bomber in World War II. To vote for Trump, who exemplifies similar traits and policies as the same authoritarians who my great-grandfather risked his life 73 times to try to stop, is the ultimate dishonor to his memory. I cannot understand why people in my own family have voted for Trump not once, but multiple times. 

I do my best to try to put aside these feelings of anger, to put on a brave face in spite of all the things I would like to say to them. I do not think it makes you weak or cowardly to choose to distance yourself permanently or to put them on timeout for a few months. If your family cannot understand why you are choosing not to participate in holiday celebrations with them, that speaks far more about them than it ever could about you. 

Take care of yourselves and be mindful of other people that you think are struggling the next few weeks. If you are in distress and are in need of help or a community, look to some of these on-campus resources: the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence, the Women’s Resource Center, or the Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Center or the Counseling and Psychological Services. There is a community of people out here to support you, and sometimes that is the family who truly are worth spending your holidays with. 

Jordan is a senior political science major and the president of the Politics Club. With a keen interest in current affairs and a passion for informed debate, Jordan brings a well-rounded perspective to their opinion column. Through their studies and leadership, Jordan is dedicated to exploring the complexities of political issues and fostering meaFamilial Bonds and Political Boundaries