President James Oliver looked out the window of the Oval Office, watching as a group of protestors gathered outside the White House gates. Their signs and chants were a familiar sight by now, but today the messages seemed more hateful and aggressive than usual.
He could hear their shouts of "Not my president!" and "Transgender is a mental illness!" echoing through the streets. The words stung, but James tried to remind himself that he was here to serve all Americans, even those who didn't support him.
But it was hard to stay focused when the attacks felt so personal. He thought back to his childhood in rural Ohio, where he had been bullied and ostracized for being different. He had thought that he had left those days behind when he came out as transgender, but it seemed that the hatred and discrimination had followed him all the way to the White House.
James took a deep breath and turned back to his desk, trying to focus on the stack of papers in front of him. But the words blurred on the page, and his mind kept drifting back to the protestors outside.
He knew that the country was deeply divided, but he had hoped that his presidency could be a unifying force. It was painful to see that his very existence was enough to drive some people to such hateful rhetoric.
As he sat there, lost in thought, his phone buzzed with another message from Marcus.
"Hey, just wanted to check in. How's your day going?"
James hesitated for a moment, not sure how to respond. He didn't want to worry Marcus, but he also didn't want to pretend that everything was okay.
"It's been a tough one," he typed back. "There are protestors outside, and they're saying some pretty awful things."
There was a pause before Marcus replied.
"I'm so sorry, James. I wish I could be there with you."
James felt a pang of guilt. He knew that Marcus was shouldering a lot of responsibility at home, taking care of the twins and managing their household while James was at work.
"I wish you were here too," James wrote back. "But I'll be okay. I just need to keep reminding myself why I'm here."
Marcus replied with a heart emoji, and James felt a rush of affection. He knew that he was lucky to have such a supportive partner.
As the day wore on, the protestors outside eventually dispersed, and James was able to get back to his work. But the memory of their hateful words lingered, and he knew that this was just the beginning of a long and difficult journey.
But he was determined to stand strong in the face of adversity, knowing that he had a family and a country to fight for.
YOU ARE READING
The Transcendency
Historical Fiction"The Transcendency" is a thought-provoking novel following James Oliver, the first openly transgender President of the United States. From a small town in Ohio to the Oval Office, readers witness James' journey filled with challenges, self-discovery...
