THE HANDMAID’S TALE OF AMERICAN IMMIGRATION

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Alright guys The Handmaid’s Tale is just SO MUCH. I mean really, season 1 was amazing, but season 2 HAS GOT ME FUCKED UP. I have never been on such an emotionally, intellectually and spiritually abusive rollercoaster than this “fictional” series. And I have fictional in quotes because as jilted as viewers are by the thought of this archaic treatment of women, I also see that this standard isn’t too far away from our present day society.

***IT’S OBVIOUS THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS.***

This specific post tackles the major theme of S2, E9 (“Smart Power”)— immigration, a hot issue in the United States. But this time, U.S. Americans are the immigrants. This most resonates with Mr. and Mrs. Waterford's visit to Canada (where even in a fictional world, they have their shit together better than the U.S.). Forced to end their visit early due to opposition and protests, the most touching scene comes at a bar. This moment begins with cheers from people celebrating the Waterford’s departure from Canadian soil, but continues on with someone singing “America the Beautiful.” The scene ends with almost the entire bar joining in, some with tears in their eyes. It is instantly realized that the majority of the bar’s customers are actually American citizens, who had to flee America due to its political corruption. It is clear in the song choice and facial expressions that to leave America was not a choice, but rather a survival necessity. Sound familiar?

This is something that is relative to current Trump America. Just like in the series, immigrants come in hopes of a better life for themselves and their children. However in the real 2018 United States, the government's zero-tolerance policy is literally ripping children apart from their parents; measures that are eerily similar in the series. Now this is something us non-introspective U.S. citizens think could ~never*~ happen to first-world country citizens. That this is an issue of those shit-hole countries. But this “fictional” episode showcases how fickle safety and certainty is, and heeds a warning that we could be the next migrants.

TL;DR— This episode gives a dose of what it’s like to be the other and to remember empathy when it comes to immigrants and refugees. Afterall, what separates an immigrant from a citizen is simply the state of their homeland, which can turn at any moment. Just look at ours.