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WanderingEng  ·  2938 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Sense of Alienation

I think you underestimate the lasting impact you and your generation has had. I work in an electric utility, an industry known for being conservative. I see women and gay coworkers treated equitably. Maybe that's easy to say as a straight white man, but I really think it's true.

I think one of the more lasting social changes is people are more aware that differences like gender and sexuality aren't relevant to their lives. Thirty years ago someone might have spent their entire life never personally knowing an out gay person. So when confronted by someone gay, they felt uncomfortable. Today it's much more common, and I have out, gay coworkers. They aren't out because Obama told everyone to be nice, they're out because the decent but uninformed, sheltered people are now decent informed people.

I think that's how we move forward under Trump. Don't look at the worst of our neighbors and think all is lost. Look to the ones who are good and just don't understand, and help them understand.