Being a new voter is the most intimidating part about turning 18.
Getting a driver’s license and graduating high school were also a big deal. But when it comes to the social pressure to vote, those milestones haven’t affected me as much as truly experiencing the issues I’ll be voting for.
From a young age, it was drilled into me—maybe you, too?—that American citizens have certain duties and responsibilities that we need to fulfill.
For example, I’ve always understood that my vote is important to deciding the future of our nation.
Before we even entered the education system, we were influenced by our parents and their views. For me, even in elementary school, I knew something about politics because it was important to my parents. So for my entire life I have been educating myself for this very moment because it’s what was expected of me.
What I didn’t expect, though, was how personally the issues of this election would affect me at age 18. LGBTQ issues have always been personal to me, as a young queer person. Watching my community being condemned across the country through misguided legislation, like bans on gender-affirming care for young people, is genuinely sickening.
Not everybody has seen the world through my eyes. That’s fine. Even if you disagree with my views, I am sure there are issues affecting you that you want to see changed, whether that be the climate crisis, the economy or something else entirely.
I am voting because I want to be an agent of change, not because anyone wants me to, or because I feel obligated, but because I need to be represented. Elected officials are supposed to work for the people, whether they like it or not. I am the people. You are the people. So why should we let politicians control us without our say? We have a say. Let’s speak up. Let’s vote. A democracy where our voices aren’t heard isn’t a democracy, so we can’t be complacent. We need to have our voices heard.
That’s why you should vote. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for because I don’t want you to vote for something you don’t believe in. I will vote because I know what I stand for and will do something about it. I encourage you to do the same.
To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, we are the change that we want to see. And when we become adults, that starts at the polling booths.
