juno @ elsewhere (check 📌)

ALT panel 1 of a 4 panel comic- brandy, a trans man sporting a vest, jeans, and long hair that covers his eyes, sits in a chair. he addresses the reader: "hey there. my name's brandy. i get the feeling you're feeling a bit lost right now, so let me offer some worldly wisdom for you: you're not allowed to die yet."

ALT panel 2- brandy continues, gesturing informatively: "the way I see it, you got three reasons not to die: 1. live to spite 'em: these assholes WANT you gone, remember? don't give them the satisfaction! don't become another statistic! your existence in itself is an act of protest. you hold a lot of power over them just by continuing to live. 2. live for solidarity: I mean this in more ways than one. we CAN get through all this together, but we need to actually be together. by continuing to live, you can give and receive support from your community. and shit, dude, people would be sad if you died. I'D be sad if you died. and 3. live for a better day: I know it's hard to believe now, but things WILL get better. there is going to come a day where things are good again. and I want you to be there to see it. you deserve to live to see it."

ALT panel 3- he continues, pointing toward the camera: "die isn't just literal here, either! they want you in the closet, hiding, afraid, etc, as much as they want you dead. being unapologetically yourself is just as important as literally surviving. keep yourself safe, obviously, but don't neuter yourself out of shame. that's what they want. things are gonna be rough, I'm not gonna bullshit you. but a lot of things are also gonna stay the same. you'll still get to wake up and go to work or school and come home to your family every day. a lot of the next 4 years is just going to feel normal, and that's okay. acting like the world is going to end is just doomerism, it doesn't help anyone."

ALT panel 4- a far shot of brandy leaning forward in the chair. he says: "my point is: stay alive. stay yourself. keep yourself safe, keep your loved ones safe. grow a shell if you haven't already. that's all anyone can do. you got this. we've all got this. you're gonna be fine. i promise."