I joined the secret Pantsuit Nation Facebook group and what I saw was beautiful

Last week one of my friends added me to Pantsuit Nation, a ‘”secret” Facebook group created to support and fundraise for then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Within three weeks it snowballed to nearly 3 million members that quickly became a community rallying around hope; a mélange of individuals drinking in the oxygen of American politics in hopes of a full, progressive future.

People in the group were so eager to share their support of Clinton and describe who they are as Americans.

And as we are voyeuristic, curious creatures by nature, it was hard to look away from the fishbowl.

The posts and images came almost nonstop: mothers with their transgendered children on their way to vote. Immigrants. Gay and lesbian couples and interracial couples. Construction workers dressed in pantsuits and nurses in scrubs, high school students and disabled individuals waving American flags.

Human beings of every race, age, size and gender. Someone posted a photo of her Iraqi co-worker. Another recovering alcoholic shared a picture of the little girl she’d been able to adopt after getting sober.

So many people wanting to share themselves and their dreams with their fellow humankind. All imperfect…yet somehow, utterly, humanly perfect.

The sudden crush of unity within the confined walls of that Facebook group resulted in something else that I have never witnessed at such high intensity: an outpouring of support for one another; endless streams of commentary on each other’s posts, not necessarily political in nature but simply meant to lift one another up.

The post that almost took my breath away was from a woman I’ll call Evelyn for privacy’s sake, though that’s not her real name.

Evelyn was on her way to vote on Tuesday. She doesn’t normally post photos of herself, but because it was Voting Day she shared one. The vulnerability in her post made me want to cry. She seemed timid to put herself out publicly but hopeful that she would be accepted.

The response was overwhelming.

By Wednesday morning, Evelyn’s photo had received more than 65,000 likes and thousands of comments.

You rock Facebook!
You look amazing. Thank you for your vote 🙂
You are so beautiful. Keep letting your light shine.
Hey beautiful woman! Glad you posted!!!
You are divine.
You are beautiful! Never question your worth based on appearance! Know how much you are loved and appreciated! Your beauty shines from within.

I wish I could meet Evelyn and see her reaction to the thousands of comments telling her she is beautiful, worthy, special and loved – comments that came from complete strangers.

Regardless of who you supported for President of the United States, regardless of lifestyle, income, birthplace, race or sex, we are one America.

It hasn’t been the easiest last few months for our own city, either. It is my deepest hope for Charlotte, and for our country that we can move on as united entities from our fragmented and divisive issues. It is my hope that we can prove that we can be cities and a country that welcome and foster hope for everyone, and communities that openly and publicly display unconditional love and support for those around us.

Can that happen? I don’t know. But I think it’s a great goal to work toward.

You ARE beautiful, Evelyn. And you, reading this, you are beautiful too.

Cover image via Facebook. Logan Stewart is the Public Relations & Community Manager at OrthoCarolina.