Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond

Consumerism feeds capitalism, which feeds the current fascist American oligarchy. Your loudest voice is where you spend your money. While there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, there are tiers. Mindful consumption is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal.

While there are lists of which corporations donated to which political party, please know that nearly all major corporations in the United States are involved in political lobbying. All large corporations have political influence and we must pressure them to exert it against fascism. Change will not come until their profits are negatively impacted.

GOODS & SERVICES

• PRIORITIZE shopping at BIPOC, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ owned businesses. When you purchase from people in marginalized communities, the money has an immediate impact. Your purchase could be the one that allows someone to flee to safety in another state or keeps their lights on for another month.

• PRIORITIZE shopping second-hand and upcycled goods via independent thrift stores and online marketplaces.

  Note: Thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army may be the only option in some areas. If this is the case, buying second-hand is still a preferable option because it saves waste from landfills, keeps more money in your local community, and keeps profits from new purchases out of billionaire’s bank accounts.

• AVOID: purchasing online and in-person from mega-retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wish, et al. unless you are directly supporting a small business by doing so.

FOOD

If you are food-insecure or have limited food options where you live, please use whatever resources are at your disposal to get nourishment without worrying about the ethics of the source. Anything that gets you fed is the best option.

If you have a more flexible food budget and variety of choice available:

• PRIORITIZE grocery spending at farmer’s markets, worker or community-owned co-op grocery stores, immigrant-owned markets, and small regional chains that haven’t been bought out or merged with large conglomerates.

• PRIORITIZE purchasing packaged food from small brands, especially B-Corps

• PRIORITIZE eating out at immigrant, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ owned restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, etc.

• PATRONIZE chains like Costco who have reaffirmed their commitment to DEI initiatives and have a good track record of fair pay.

• AVOID large chain grocery conglomerates and big box stores, especially Whole Foods (owned by Amazon).

• AVOID chain restaurants like Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.

• AVOID brands like Coca-Cola, Nestle, Kraft, Wonderful, etc.

• IF YOU SEE someone stealing food, no you didn’t. Mind your own business.

BOOKS, MUSIC, AND ART

The arts are often one of the first things threatened by fascist regimes. Creating and consuming anti-fascist art and art created by people from marginalized communities is a direct act of resistance.

Women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and musicians have historically been excluded from publishing, recording, galleries, etc. It is imperative to support marginalized artists in the coming years. The suggestions in this section focus on economic support; other ways to support the arts can be found in other sections.

• PRIORITIZE purchasing traditionally published books (big five publishers and their subsidiaries) from indie bookstores.

• PRIORITIZE purchasing indie books from the source that is most beneficial to the author. Amazon is often the best marketplace for indie authors because of Kindle Unlimited and Amazon’s royalty structure. DO NOT INADVERTENTLY PUNISH marginalized indie authors who are beholden to the system.

• PRIORITIZE streaming music by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ musicians, especially indie musicians and musicians with smaller labels.

• PRIORITIZE purchasing art and home decor directly from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creators at craft fairs or through their websites.

• DONATE to organizations working to bring the arts to marginalized communities, including arts and music funding, book drives, community libraries, etc.

PROTEST and support protesters with mutual aid and legal funds.

CONTACT your elected officials. Emphasize your concerns and let them know not to obey in advance.

RUN FOR OFFICE, especially local positions. Things like bathroom bans and book bans often start in school boards and city councils. Your voice on one of those governing bodies could be the difference in someone keeping their rights.

ATTEND SCHOOL BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS if you can’t run for office. Be a voice of support for trans kids, for free speech, for separation of church and state. It starts with you.

Education is an antidote to fascism. Books, libraries, and schools are under attack from Project 2025.

LEARN what fascism is and how to identify it.

STUDY resistance movements of the past. Seek out articles and books about the White Rose, the French Resistance, the Polish Resistance, the Dutch Resistance, the Underground Railroad, the US Civil Rights Movement, and the Stonewall Uprising. Nonfictional and fictional accounts of historical resistance and collective action are both valuable for insights and ideas.

ATTEND your local school board and city council meetings and speak up in defense of books and education.

VISIT your local library as often as possible. Grants and funding are often contingent on patronage, so just going to the library helps support them. Attend programs and talks. Borrow books about anti-fascist resistance and books by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. Fill out requests for more books by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ indie authors to be shelved.

SHARE what you learn with your communities off and online. Post book recommendations, protest information, information about resisting fascism.

Fascist regimes go after the free flow of speech and information by controlling the narrative and drowning out or punishing dissent. The news will be overwhelming, come fast, and be designed to make you feel hopeless and alone.

• KNOW that media can be manipulated to create perceptions. Up/downvotes, likes, etc. can be brigaded by rightwing groups or bots with the intent to discourage resistance and make fascism look overwhelmingly supported. This is especially common whenever trans rights are discussed online. Do not be discouraged if your position feels unpopular. You are not alone.

  Algorithms can and are manipulated to suppress BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices, hashtags, and search terms. Elevate those voices where you can by liking and sharing.

• DON’T SHAME people and small businesses for using specific platforms. While there are valid reasons not to support Twitter, TikTok, or Meta, leaving platforms en masse has the end result of silencing voices and fracturing established communities. Do take note of which large corporations still post and advertise on platforms that support the administration.

• DON’T CLICK paid advertisements on Twitter and Meta. Advertisers will leave if their ads aren’t working.

• BROADEN your methods of communication, on and offline. Don’t rely on one platform that could be taken away. Be careful what you communicate online. If you plan to participate in resistance actions that may be impermissible under the administration, be very mindful of what and where you communicate. Signal is a popular option for a more secure messaging app. Getting a “burner” phone can add an extra layer of protection to unsecure communications.

• SEEK OUT NEWS from multiple sources. Do not rely on corporate media or newspapers. Cross-check information with independent journalists and international publications. Sources like Reuters and AP are typically good for unbiased reporting but may not report on everything. The Guardian and BBC are English-language publications based in the UK that tend to be reliable. It will often take consulting multiple sources to obtain a complete picture.

• LEARN how to recognize fascist propaganda. Study how historical fascist regimes have used propaganda to control conversations and information. Point it out when you see it.

SPREAD INFORMATION AND HOPE OFFLINE

• Get some sidewalk chalk and any patch of public pavement is a platform to share art or communicate a message.

• Leave anti-fascist and threatened or banned books, pamphlets, fliers, and zines at bus stops, waiting rooms, airport gates, Little Free Libraries, cafés, etc.

• Find local groups to meet with in-person.

• Buy a printer so you can print information or banned materials at home.

Specific actions you can take to be prepared to protect yourself and assist others in violent/crisis situations.

• DO NOT EVER ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE). NOTHING. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.

  • Know Your Rights if You Encounter ICE

  • Conozca Sus Derechos Si Se Encuentra con ICE

• ALERT members of your community if ICE is spotted doing raids in the area.

• FILM all ICE activity. Film the police, especially at protests and when you see rights being violated. Share the footage broadly and keep backups.

• DO NOT EVER DISCLOSE IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS TRANSGENDER, AN IMMIGRANT, OR DACA/DREAMER. You don’t know. It’s never come up.

• PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE copies of the Constitution (now removed from the White House website) and Miranda Rights.

• CONNECT with local groups to become involved in protests and other aid if you live near an ICE Detention facility.

• GET CERTIFIED in first aid and keep a first aid kit handy, especially if you will be attending protests.

• GET YOUR DOCUMENTS IN ORDER. Apply for or renew passports, make sure you have copies of birth certificates, name changes, anything you might need if you have to leave quickly.

• REFILL your prescriptions as frequently as you can. Stock up on Plan B and birth control while you can.

• CAREFULLY CONSIDER means of self-defense. The second amendment applies to anti-fascists, too, but it is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. Make sure you are fully prepared to safely use and store firearms. If you don’t know where to start, organizations like JBGC (look on Bluesky, they are banned on Meta) can help with resources and training. Know that firearms are not the only means of self-defense. If you are safer without a firearm in your home, consider other legal options like pepper spray or tasers (check your local regulations).

• LIMIT impulse or unnecessary purchases to save money and donate to mutual aid funds if you are able. Start considering what you would need to be ready to participate in collective action like a general strike or mass boycott. If you are financially secure for an extended period of time, start considering what you will give to help sustain others.

• SHOW UP to support when you’re called on. Attend Pride, attend protests. Block protestors outside of drag shows and abortion clinics.

• MASK UP to make your activism inclusive for people with disabilities and compromised immune systems. Masks also make it harder for you to be identified if you are participating in action where you don’t want to be identified.

• DO NOT let communities and coalitions be fractured by in-fighting and agents provocateurs.

We have an obligation to keep hope and joy alive, even through the darkest times. Carving out time for self-care can be a powerful act of resistance in a world that demands productivity and action at all times. The ideas in this section offer ways to resist through joy and community-building, but joyful resistance MUST BE SUPPORTED by actions in the other categories, especially if you are not a member of a marginalized community and/or have financial privilege. These actions also model and encourage curiosity, acceptance, and community-building to children.

FOOD IS POLITICAL

• Try a new recipe from another culture with ingredients from a local immigrant-owned store.

• Invite friends or neighbors over to share a meal.

• Start a garden or join a community garden.

• Volunteer with local chapters of organizations like Food is Free and Food Not Bombs.

• Donate to food pantries or distribute food directly to unhoused people in your community.

THE ARTS ARE POLITICAL

• Read queer books, read BIPOC books, read banned books. Read happy endings.

• Go to poetry slams, author events, and story times at your local libraries and bookstores.

• Attend community theater productions, drag shows, craft fairs, and museum exhibitions.

• Watch movies and TV shows that tell marginalized stories and feature characters from marginalized communities.

• Create. Write, paint, draw, sing, compose, dance, sculpt, pose. Even if it’s only for you.

NATURE IS POLITICAL

• Take a walk in a nearby park. Learn about its indigenous history.

• Volunteer with local conservation/rewilding efforts.

TRAVEL IS POLITICAL

• Prioritize leisure travel to blue states. Spending money in blue states helps fund state legal battles against the administration through taxes, as well as supporting continued healthcare access for women and transgender people.

• (If you have influence) encourage your employer not to conduct business travel to red states (meetings, conferences) and opt out when possible.

• When travel in red states is required, seek out and support BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and immigrant-owned businesses.

• Prioritize staying in non-chain/boutique hotels and motels. Avoid AirBnB and VRBO. When renting private properties, try to rent directly from the owner and avoid properties that contribute to local housing crises (like apartments and houses in major cities and tourist areas).

If part of your resistance is attending protests, please be mindful of your own safety and those around you.

• Masks are good to obscure your identity. Respirators rated for particulates will offer some protection against tear gas.

• Plastic safety goggles will help protect your eyes. Avoiding wearing eye makeup or contact lenses to protests; interactions with tear gas can lead to permanent damage.

• Rain coats are hydrophobic, which makes decontamination easier.

• Umbrellas can be used as light shields and to obscure identities.

• Leave your cell phone at home so you can’t be placed at the protest. If communications are necessary, carry a burner phone.

• Memorize important phone numbers.

• Do not post identifying photos of yourself or other individuals at protests.

• Do not talk to cops. Know your rights.

• If you witness someone being arrested, get their name, date of birth, and reach out to local legal services assisting protestors on their behalf.

• Wear clothing that blends in, not stands out. Black is a popular choice.

• Get first aid certified if you are able and carry a first aid kit with you.

• Be on the lookout for undercover cops and provocateurs trying to incite violence.

• Film the police.

• Know your escape routes if the situation devolves. Set a meeting location with your group in case you become separated.

This list is not comprehensive by any means. Please look locally first. If there is a resource you believe should be listed here, please submit it with the form below. Pride and Pages Book Club is not affiliated with any of these organizations.

Everywhere Is Queer- LGBTQ+ business directory

Goods Unite Us- political background checks on brands

Food Not Bombs

AltNPS

American Civil Liberties Union

Southern Poverty Law Center

GLAAD

Planned Parenthood

National Immigrant Justice Center

Socialist Rifle Association

The General Strike