I recently heard a perspective from a Dad of a Trans son that resonated with me. He said that too often, we make Donald Trump the main character of all that is unfolding.
This wasn’t an argument to minimize what’s happening—not at all. But it does highlight the ways we frame what is taking place. We all know how much the news focuses on Donald Trump, and I can’t help but see it constantly in my own life. Even when I’m at work, I glance at the bottom of my laptop screen, and there it is—“The Trump Administration” as a teaser, trying to get me to hover over those words and receive some “Breaking News.” But this Dad, who loves his son deeply and wants to keep Trans youth alive, as should we all, pointed out that it’s an extra wound to make Trump the main character of the harm he’s causing his son. His son should be the main character in his own story, and so should so many others who are deeply impacted by these words and policies.
The harm caused by Trump’s rhetoric, especially to marginalized communities, is undeniable. But by consistently centering him as the protagonist in this story, we diminish the actual people who are suffering. His son, in this case, deserves to be the main character in his own narrative, thriving and living fully.
This is also true when it comes to immigration, detention, and deportation. We need to center the stories of people like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Mahmoud Khalil, and countless others whose lives have been upended by policies that target them. Just last week, a mother was deported to Honduras with her children, who are U.S. citizens. One of those children, facing stage 4 cancer, was sent away without needed medication. This is cruel and heartbreaking. These are the people who deserve to be the main characters in this story. Their stories—their struggles, their humanity—should be our focus as we tell these stories.
And let’s not forget about past moments, too. People were rightly outraged when then-candidate Trump made fun of a disabled reporter on the campaign trail. But how often did you hear that disabled reporter’s name—if ever? His name is Serge F. Kovaleski.
The media should be lifting up the voices of those who are being harmed as well as those who are working to uphold individuals and communities during times of crisis. These are the main characters of this moment in history. We certainly don’t look away. This isn’t about minimizing harm. But who are we centering? Let’s make space for the people who truly deserve to be the focus. Keep the main characters the main characters.
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 