2016 was, by and large, a terrible year. There were literally so many negative things about it that to list them all would be to subject oneself to a deep depression. In that light, I’d like to present my own resolutions for 2017. These have been in my mind since the beginning of the month, when I completed my annual re-read of Carrie Fisher’s brilliant memoire Wishful Drinking. Her passing makes them seem that much more meaningful to me.
1. Be Brave
I want to be braver in the upcoming year, to speak out against injustice where I see it without worrying about what others will think of me. One major thing holding me back for many years has been fear of retaliation from my friends and family for speaking out against things they may themselves hold dear. The time has passed for fear, however, and in the upcoming year I need to be braver, to take those risks, and to advocate for myself and others in a much more effective way.
2. Laugh More
Fans of Carrie Fisher will understand: if I don’t laugh at the negative events I’ve endured, they simply become true, and that’s fucking unacceptable. The formula to transmute an event from tragedy to humour is being able to put enough distance between yourself and the event. Or, as Fisher puts it, “location, location, location”.
3. Question Power
There is no doubt that the incoming American administration is dangerous, especially to minorities, the poor, and LGBTQ+ individuals. There is also little doubt that there are similar influences throughout Canadian politics as well. The time to hold our leaders to high standards has come, and in the upcoming year I aim to do so.
A few shining moments do stand out, many of them born from the darkness. I won third place in a writing contest, and was published in the Huffington Post twice (once about my own experience with abuse, and once speaking out in support of Emma Doe). I (finally) came out of the closet, and spoke up in defense of my sexuality even at the expense of a Facebook friendship.
That being said, 2016 was indeed a dumpster fire of a year. I hope your 2017 is a zillion times better. Remember, be brave, laugh more, and smash the patriarchy. Happy New Year!