How To Protect Yourself Against Project 2025

Well here we are, fam. The 2024 presidential election has happened and the outcome was not great.

We took some time to be angry. To be scared. To grieve. We checked in on our community and practiced some highly necessary self-care. Then we spent several cathartic hours scrolling through r/LeopardsAteMyFace. We hope you did too.

Now we’re ready for the next step. For we have chosen to stay and fight. Part of that means embracing our calling as your beloved yet humble Bitches—your opinionated internet aunties—by sharing ideas on how we can prepare to weather the coming storm.

It might not be much of a storm! Could be anywhere from a little light rain to a Category 5 hurricane. But it’s our belief that you should prepare for the worst in such a way that even in the best case scenario, you’ll still end up better off.

This guide includes some instructions specific to a second Trump administration (three words I gag even writing). But some of it is just good practice no matter what happens.

What are we preparing for?

The Trump administration—including his billionaire buddies, cartoonishly villainous advisors, and all the grifters and sycophants in between—has all kinds of goals. Part of this plan is Project 2025, a policy wishlist funded by the Heritage Foundation and written by 140 former (and in some cases, future) Trump staffers (among others). Think of the Heritage Foundation as a real-life, conservative “deep state” with even deeper pockets, helmed by all the extremist nutjobs driving the Right Wing’s most regressive ideas since the Reagan administration.

There’s a lot of cooks in this oppressive kitchen. So for the purposes of this guide, we’re going to use “Project 2025” as an umbrella term for the policy agenda of the Trump administration and broader conservative party.

Change will not come at a consistent pace. We won’t enter The Darkest Timeline overnight, or maybe even at all! And there’s not even a guarantee that all the worst aspects of Project 2025 will come to pass. With any luck, this corrupt administration of toadies, conspiracy theorists, and inept, entitled conmen will get in its own way enough that they make zero progress towards their nightmarish goals!

But we can’t bank on that. Which is why we recommend the following steps before they start checking off items on the Project 2025 to-do list. Shoot for the moon of Suckitude! Even if we don’t reach it, you’ll land lightly among the stars of Things Are Slightly Worse Now.

Educate yourself and others

Your first step in preparing for Project 2025 is to get educated. Learn what plans they’re ready to set in motion. Forewarned is 4-armed, after all!

☑ Familiarize yourself with Project 2025

You can read Project 2025 in its entirety for free online. (Pro-tip: if you scroll down to click on the links to the individual chapters you’ll be able to read them without entering your contact information above the “read the mandate for free” button. You’re welcome.)

But why would you want to do that when other smart, selfless, courageous people with flawless skin and hair have already read it for you? Besides yours truly, of course, I’m referring to the ACLU’s detailed summary, this analysis from The 19th, the BBC’s coverage, and stories from The Associated Press.

☑ Curate a reliable, transparent news feed

About those sources I just linked: One is an American nonprofit civil rights organization; one an “independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy”; one a respected foreign news outlet; and one is the most trusted not-for-profit news agency in the world.

Are they all completely unbiased, factual, and politically centrist? Nope! No such animal exists. That’s something I learned way back in journalism school.

In this era of rampant misinformation and propaganda, it’s important you understand where your news comes from, the bias of its creators and distributors, and the agenda it’s pushing. Following the AP and Reuters is a good first step. So is the Interactive Media Bias Chart.

This year I’ve been especially grateful for paid service Ground News. (That’s not an affiliate link, by the way. I just like them a lot… and also they recoiled at the idea of partnering with us because we are utterly lacking in respectability.) It’s a news aggregator that displays the biases of various news sources, shows you how each side is covering a given story, and illuminates your own biases based on your news consumption. It’s incredibly useful in battling misinformation and I highly recommend it.

☑ Influence others for the better

Everyone and their broski has an opinion on why Trump won. As a card-carrying millennial podcaster, such an opinion is my divine right! So if I can attribute the election to a single factor, it would be misinformation.

A nauseating number of eligible voters abstain from voting every election cycle. Even more base their votes on lies, misinformation, or straight-up vibes. Imagine if these voters could be convinced of not only the truth, but the personal, individual importance of their vote.

You have the power to educate those around you. When someone you know and care about spouts conspiracy theories or repeats partisan propaganda… correct them. If you’ve followed the first two steps in this section, you’ll be well-informed and ready to guide them to the truth. This goes for your friends, your relatives, but most importantly your younglings.

That said, it’s best to reserve your energy for people you can reasonably expect to influence. We’re not going to get out of this situation by arguing with strangers online. Save your strength!

Prepare your finances

Political strategist and swamp-dwelling firefly cousin James Carville once famously said, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Which, in 2024, boiled down to [checks notes] immigrants used Hunter Biden’s laptop to make eggs very expensive!

Money and the economy were central to voters’ concerns. And who can blame them? The normal necessities of life—food, housing, education, transportation—are increasingly unaffordable. People are pissed, and that’s super easy to understand, even if we don’t agree on the causes or the solutions.

Unfortunately, Project 2025 proposes some extreme and demonstrably counterproductive ideas about how to cut government spending (read: cut the social safety net), reduce costs (read: reduce the functionality of our supply chains), and lower taxes (read: for the ruling class).

☑ Beef up your emergency fund

Remember that time we talked about how to determine the difference between real emergencies and bacon emergencies? And how you shouldn’t be afraid to use your emergency fund for its intended purpose?

There could be some Project 2025-related emergencies coming your way. And you need the funds to weather them.

It’s not my intention to scare you. But I’m also not catastrophizing. Whether it’s a job loss, an unplanned pregnancy, or an unexpectedly high repair bill thanks to tariffs on parts made overseas, this administration is ripe for emergencies. Prioritize bulking up your emergency fund now so that when a Project 2025-related emergency comes for you, you’ll be ready.

☑ Diversify your possible income sources

When I lost my full-time job at the beginning of the pandemic, I didn’t panic. I also didn’t miss a day of generating income, thanks to my side hustles.

(Note from Kitty: Mmm, you panicked a little.)

No one should have to have multiple jobs to survive. But there’s no denying that having multiple options to earn extra income is a great way to protect yourself against sudden, catastrophic job loss. That way, if you get laid off or fired without severance, you’ll not only have money coming in already, but you’ll be able to turn immediately to growing your other income options now that you have the time. It’s the fastest way to recover from a job loss.

When economic systems experience the kind of upheaval intended by Project 2025, it affects all kinds of industries. Even—potentially—yours. So find a backup income stream before the worst should happen.

I don’t want to be a babysitter, or a dog walker, or rent the spare room in my home… but they are all on my list of “things I could do to make more money quickly, if the need arose.” Knowing I have layers of plans and backup plans helps quiet my fears for the future.

☑ Diversify your investments

We don’t recommend checking your investment portfolio more often than monthly or quarterly. And that goes doubly for the Project 2025 era!

The stock market has a bad habit of believing everything Donald Trump says. He has a habit of throwing out wild ideas, causing stocks to fluctuate, only to walk it back later. This causes more abrupt, hard dips that might be especially tough on people who are on the verge of utilizing invested money.

The election was barely two months ago and we’ve already experienced volatility in the stock market. So if you’re not diversifying your investments yet, let this be your reminder to move some money from stocks into bonds, from the stock market into property, from the U.S. into global markets, and from investments into cash. If you need your money soon—like, within the next 5 years—don’t keep it parked somewhere susceptible to that volatility.

Don’t get caught with all your (very pricey) eggs in one basket. Here’s everything we’ve written on investing.

☑ Recession-proof yourself

The economy is largely cyclical, and while we can’t accurately predict those cycles, we can make some educated guesses. So now’s a good time to recession-proof yourself as much as you can.

We’ve got instructions on how to prepare for a recession for anyone who needs a refresher. They include steps like…

• Make concrete plans just in case things go wrong
• Track your spending now so you deeply understand your own needs
• Grow your emergency fund (fine, when it comes to emergency funds we’re total size queens)
• Pay off debts so you owe less every month
• Increase your credit limit for an extra layer of emergency preparedness
• Get your health in order now, in case you lose access to healthcare
• Identify ways you could save money every month if you needed to
• Broaden your skills so you can pivot in your career
• Back up your work files so you have contacts and portfolio pieces
• Stay the course with your long-term investments

☑ Prepare for higher taxes

Set more money aside for taxes in the coming years. Because our taxes will go up, not down.

“But Trump said—” Yeah. He said a lot of things to get people to vote for him. But the truth is the president’s power to lower taxes is limited. And this president in particular is simply not interested in lowering your taxes.

He wants to lower their taxes instead:

Hopefully, the change will be small… but it wasn’t last time! During the last year of the Obama administration, Kitty got an $8,000 tax refund. The following year, after Trump’s edits to the tax code, she owed $8,000. Nothing changed about her situation—just a teensy-weensy adjustment of the tax code. So opting to withhold extra from your paychecks ain’t a bad idea.

☑ Apply for student loan forgiveness

Biden-era student loan forgiveness will likely end. He made a heroic effort to forgive as much student loan debt as he could, despite the efforts of republicans to block it at every turn. So if you haven’t applied yet, do so now. Here’s where to start.

Otherwise, you’ll need to come up with a plan to start repaying your loans. This is our advice:

• When (And How) To Try Refinancing or Consolidating Student Loans
• “The Government Put Student Loans in Forbearance. Can I Stop Paying—or Is It a Trap?” 
• I Paid off My Student Loans Ahead of Schedule. Here’s How. 
• The 2022 Student Loan Forgiveness FAQ You’ve Been Waiting For

☑ Buy things you actually need before tariffs hit

I have no idea if Trump will actually go through with the unhinged tariffs he’s idly suggested. That’s the hard part about planning for an administration like this. You can’t actually trust they’ll do what they say, which makes it very hard to plan for the future. (Or feel sane!)

There’s a long list of items that would jump steeply in price if these tariffs came to be. Gasoline, groceries, electronics, clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, cars… the scope is so wild I have trouble imagining he’ll actually go through with it. It would surely turn our economy’s “soft landing” into a nose dive.

So here’s what we’ll suggest: Focus on what you actually need. If your ’98 Corolla has been dangling by a thread for years, sure—now’s an excellent time to pull the trigger on a new (to you) car. But don’t go out and panic-buy anything you weren’t already going to get, just because their prices may rise. That’s wasteful and gamble-y.

Kitty and her partner recently had a long talk about whether this was their sign to upgrade to a PlayStation 5. They’ve avoided it for years, clinging to their faithful PS4, even as its startup sounded more and more like a Soviet-era spaceship launch. Ultimately, they decided against it. It’ll suck if the PS4 craps the bed just as tariffs hit and they end up paying more; but maybe neither of those things will happen. “And ultimately, we can survive without the latest and greatest game system,” she said, breathing deeply into a paper bag. “There are more important things to worry about than getting a good deal right now.”

Prepare your health and reproductive rights

The Project 2025 section on reproductive rights is draconian to say the least. The goal is clear: to shut down the average person’s right to determine when, if, and how many children they have. Also to make it much harder to escape abusive marriages. Also also harder to be married if you happen to be queer.

We know it’s never been about saving the precious babbys. It’s about control, and they’ve shown their hand. We’ve already discussed how to fight back and how to seek abortion care in a post-Roe world. Here are some more precautions you should take.

☑ Secure your access to gender-affirming healthcare

Project 2025 is nakedly hostile to the very existence of trans people more than any other group. They plan to isolate and terrorize trans people by criminalizing being their ally in social and medical transitions.

If you require gender affirming healthcare, I’m very concerned for you and your ongoing access. This topic is very complex and individualized, so we’re considering breaking it out into its own discussion. (Let us know in the comments if this is one you’d like to hear more about.)

How these attacks could impact you is very dependent on your unique situation: where you live, who supports you, where you are in your medical journey, what your goals are, etc.

• Prioritize finding a healthcare professional you trust. Talk through your fears with them. They may be able to adjust your approach to give you greater security, in case medications become scarce. (For example, they may offer to switch you onto oral medications, which are easier to self-administer and more shelf-stable.)
• Overseas surgical options will continue to exist. And for many people, they’re the cheaper and better option anyway.
• Trust that networks will arise in response to any bans. Abortion bans don’t stop abortions. Drug bans don’t stop drug use. All it does is make it more dangerous. I don’t want anyone to be driven to take risks or self-medicate. But queer people and their allies WILL rally together in the face of oppression, as we always have. Do not despair.

I don’t think hormones will ever be banned. They have too many therapeutic uses and are a component in too many existing medications. I’m most concerned for the legal status of puberty blockers. Yes, they also have many therapeutic applications beyond trans youth. But I think they’ve become emblematic of the moral panic against queer children. Regarding this, I spoke with a very wise friend who is trans and works in healthcare. After a long, deep sigh, they said: “There are many people, like myself, who would’ve benefited from transitioning earlier in their lives. But I want young people to know: if it happens later, that can be okay too. There’s so much to balance. It feels like there’s a rush, but there’s not. Everything can change.”

☑ Secure your birth control

In January, 2017, I got my first IUD. The timing was not coincidental, y’all!

If you can get a long-term form of birth control (such as an IUD or a vasectomy), get it right now. While access to pills and injections can be withheld, implants and surgeries are much more secure. Even stocking up on condoms isn’t a bad idea.

I’ve always hated it when people claim they don’t think others should “use abortion as birth control.” Besides the fact it’s an absurd thing to consider (I personally am eagerly awaiting the free sub I get when I fill my Planned Parenthood punch card) … abortion does control birth.

Which is why your emergency fund should contain enough money to cover the cost of an abortion as well as out-of-state travel if you live in one of the 13 states that have outlawed or severely limited abortion.

☑ Delete period tracker apps

If you have an app that tracks your period… no you don’t.

Delete period tracker apps from your devices. Especially if you live in one of the 13 anti-abortion states. In the Darkest Timeline, information from apps like these could be used to prosecute people for seeking abortion care or even just having a miscarriage.

This falls under the umbrella of things-that-are-just-a-good-idea-anyway. Even though it’s been over a decade since I last menstruated on a regular basis (learn how I bio-hacked my way out of having periods in our article on how to menstruate on the cheap), I understand the allure of period tracker apps. But any app that keeps track of your sensitive personal data—especially about your health—is something that should fill you with cautious suspicion. I’m not saying identity thieves and hackers are desperate to know when you’re ovulating, but…

☑ Be careful where you travel

I recently spent a week rafting the Green River. We started in northern Colorado… and ended up in the anti-abortion stronghold of Utah. You best believe I took a pregnancy test before I left my home state.

It is a literal dystopian nightmare that people now need to take their fertility into account before crossing state lines. Yet that is exactly what we recommend.

Familiarize yourself with the reproductive healthcare laws in other states before you travel and protect yourself accordingly. Take a pregnancy test before you cross state lines, don’t have sex while you’re there, and don’t seek non-urgent medical care until you’re safely back in a state where abortion is legal.

☑ Download your favorite porn

PROJECT 2025 IS COMING FOR YOUR PORN!!!11!!!

Ah, the jokes just write themselves. But seriously: the extremist religious weirdos behind Project 2025 would love nothing more than to cock-block your private nutting by regulating pornography out of existence. They’re all about small government, after all—small enough to fit into each and every one of our bedrooms and browser histories.

I think this has very little to do with actual pornography. It’s more of a bid to control the definition of morality in America and criminalize their enemies. Y’know, people with progressive ideas about sex and gender—feminists and queer people. When you hear “Won’t somebody please think of the children?” anticipate anti-women, anti-queer garbage to follow.

All that said, they really are making their bid. So get a VPN or make a good old-fashioned spank bank.

GOD, it feels SO GOOD to give you an action item that’s actually fun! You’re welcome.

☑ File for divorce

There has been an uptick in divorce filings since the 2024 election. There are a handful of reasons for this, but they all boil down to one thing: wives cannot trust their husbands.

We both married beautiful, progressive, feminist men who are committed to the fight for equity and equality among genders. Their hearts are as full as their lustrous beards! But others are not so lucky.

If your husband (and yeah, while all genders can perpetrate spousal abuse, this is almost exclusively a heterosexual marriage issue) actively chose to vote against your rights and humanity in the 2024 election… if he has demonstrated an unwillingness to view you as an equal partner in marriage and life… if he does not respect your basic right to self determination… consider filing for divorce. Now. Before Trump’s administration has time to make changes to the rules around divorce.

Because with Project 2025 directly targeting no-fault divorce laws, it’s about to get a lot harder to escape from abusive spouses.

Prepare your immigration status

It is about to become a very dangerous time to be an immigrant in America. The Trump campaign was fueled by anti-immigrant hate, and based on Project 2025, a lot of that hate is about to be codified into law.

☑ Seek dual citizenship

If you’re a U.S. citizen and eligible for dual citizenship with another country, consider applying for it. The benefits include “enhanced global mobility” with your second passport, and an increase in security and stability with “another place to turn to if you are unable to return to your home country, protecting your safety and well-being.”

In general, there are four paths to dual citizenship: birth, marriage, investment… and descent.

I’m intimately familiar with this fourth path to dual citizenship. Because my application for dual citizenship is already pending. My grandmother was an Italian immigrant who didn’t become a naturalized citizen of the United States until my father was about six years old. The documents I needed to begin my application were my father’s birth certificate, grandmother’s birth certificate, and my grandmother’s naturalization papers. Oh, and a big check. (While the cost of this safety net varies depending on country, it’s generally cheaper to work directly through the government, rather than one of the numerous private organizations advertising a seamless and speedy process.)

Both my dad and grandmother voted for Trump, by the way. And while I’m not rooting for my 92-year-old Nonna to be deported, it would be the most grimly hilarious outcome of this whole fucking situation.

☑ Carry proof of your immigration status

For make no mistake, naturalized citizens are absolutely on the chopping block according to Project 2025. Stephen Miller, Trump’s immigration guy, is rabidly anti-immigrant. It would be his wet dream if birth right citizenship went away completely and was replaced with a system in which only the children of two citizen parents had a right to citizenship.

Hey! That means my disabled veteran of a Trump-voting father would also be deported! These leopards are feasting!

No matter the status of your citizenship, you need to be able to prove said status. There are already horror stories of legal immigrants and American citizens being detained or deported by racist immigration officials. Make copies of your documents and put them in multiple places: your home, vehicle, work, and wallet.

☑ Seek refuge and legal assistance

Many cities and states have already indicated they won’t cooperate with ICE and the federal government’s efforts to track down undocumented immigrants. If you have the means, consider relocating to one of these places.

In addition, there are many nonprofits, legal organizations, and community groups whose whole mission is to support the needs of immigrants, no matter their legal status. If you are an immigrant, keep a list of contacts in your phone, just in case you need help. Assume you will get no warning—they know this will be unpopular. The National Immigration Law Center and their guide for detainees and their families is a good place to start finding resources.

Make green choices

Project 2025 is actively hostile to climate change-mitigating policies and anything to do with green energy. These Captain Planet villains want to sell off and develop the National Parks, for fuck’s sake. They won’t bat an eye at destroying any environmentalist programs that threaten their oil baron buddies. So if you care about living on a planet fit for human habitation, you’re going to have to fight for it. And quickly.

☑ Apply for green federal programs NOW

Assume federal assistance programs for green energy upgrades and purchases are likely to end. These include tax rebates, discounted interest rates, and low monthly payment plans subsidized by the federal government.

So if you’ve been considering major green purchases (like converting your home’s heating system, installing solar panels, or buying an electric vehicle), buy them now if you can.

☑ Consider activism carefully

We rarely talk about the privilege required for activism. Often it is the most vulnerable among us—those most threatened by racism, xenophobia, misogyny, environmental exploitation, and corporate greed—who are on the front lines demonstrating for life-saving and world-rescuing change.

I’m thinking, of course, about the water protectors who demonstrated against the Dakota Access Pipeline. This group of primarily Native American activists struggled valiantly. Yet they didn’t gain much global media attention until celebrities like Shailene Woodley were arrested for joining them on the front lines.

This is a prime example of how to use one’s privilege for activist causes. Historically, our country doesn’t give a shit about the indigenous population. But we worship celebrities like gods. So keep the power of your own privilege in mind when considering how you can help mitigate the climate crisis.

I’m not saying every white, cis, straight, financially stable progressive should run out and chain herself to a sequoia or a sandstone arch. But if you have the privilege to fight for our environment safely, it’s something you should consider. Otherwise, buy an annual National Parks Pass and stay safe.

Protect yourself

Raise your hand if you feel physically and emotionally unsafe right now!

☑ Cut off the haters

My parents have voted for Donald Trump three times now. And something about this last time just… broke me.

It’s clear that the values and morals they raised me with just don’t apply anymore. I feel hurt and betrayed by their decision to throw me and countless other vulnerable people under the political bus. I don’t feel like I can trust them with my physical and emotional safety anymore. And it fucking breaks my heart, because despite the hateful conservative rhetoric they bombard me with… I still love them.

I’m not alone. Familial estrangement has spiked after the election.

I’m still working through my own feelings about cutting contact—still processing my decisions and my needs. But I know what I need to tell you right now, because it’s what Lauren told me when I was struggling: It’s ok to cut people off. Even if they’re family. Even if you still love them.

You need to consider your own emotional well-being. You need to weigh the toll of educating and influencing and trying desperately to cling to relationships with people who are—at best—in denial about the humanitarian disaster that is Project 2025 and—at worst—reveling in the inhumane cruelty.

Ask yourself: “If we were in Nazi Germany, or the Soviet Union, or North Korea… would this person report me or someone I care about to the authorities for being my authentic self?” If the answer is yes, feel no remorse about quietly removing them from your life. I promise you it’s ok.

☑ Gather your allies

Know who you can go to in your community for help, and what kind of help you can expect from them.

Conversely: if you have any kind of privilege, you should be making it clear that you’re an ally, and that you’re prepared to help. Be loud and proud about your views to make it absolutely clear where you stand on the issues we’ve covered so far. It can be hard to seek help, especially if someone is not sure you can be trusted.

☑ Build an escape plan

If you’re in the most vulnerable groups (immigrants, refugees, trans people, pregnant people, and even federal government workers), we really encourage you to have a literal escape plan. This can mean moving to a blue state, a sanctuary city, or even another country. It means keeping a bag packed, keeping travel funds ready, and keeping your important documents on-hand. Plan ahead.

If you’re not in the most vulnerable group, reach out to someone who is and offer to be a part of their plan. Again: asking for help can be scary. You can help alleviate that fear for someone who needs it.

☑ Learn about firearms

I’ve been kind of surprised at the sharp turn of gun discourse surrounding Project 2025 preparedness. Specifically: how many liberal progressives are suddenly buying guns! My husband and I are gun owners and we’ve personally had two different people ask us what kind of gun to buy and how.

I get it! Gun rights in the United States has been a wildly partisan issue since the NRA picked a side to lobby. And it just happened to be the side now pushing Project 2025! Gun ownership has become as much a marker of conservatism as being anti-choice, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBT. So if the people who disagree with your very right to exist are all armed to the teeth… it can be pretty tempting to arm yourself right back.

Here’s some advice from a liberal, progressive gun owner: please don’t run right out and buy a gun.

If you’re even considering gun ownership, the first thing you should do is take a class. Google “firearms training courses,” “gun safety classes,” or “concealed carry permit classes,” in your area and you’ll find what you’re looking for. It is my firm belief that in a country where guns outnumber people, every adult should know how to unload a firearm and make sure it’s unloaded. I also feel strongly that individuals should fire a gun before buying one, familiarize themselves with the statistics on gun deaths in the homes of gun owners, and have a way to safely lock up firearms when they’re not in use.

If after you’ve educated yourself on firearms you still think that gun ownership is a reasonable choice for you, I recommend shopping at Cabela’s. The NRA will pay your sales tax whether you want it to or not.

☑ Remember, it’s just four years

Seasons change. Political movements ebb and swell. Nothing lasts forever. Do not despair. Let these hateful patriarchal white supremacist Christian nationalist homophobic misogynists dash themselves upon the rocks of our resistance.

Trust that they will trip over themselves, shoot themselves in the foot, devolve into in-fighting, and make themselves a shameful shit stain upon the underpants of human history.

What did we miss?

Darling citizens of Bitch Nation, we are but two humble and imperfect Bitches doing our best out here in these streets. Our advice is by no means complete, but we wanted to make it a good place to start.

So in the spirit of collaborative action… what do YOU recommend? What are you doing to protect yourself and your community from Project 2025? Share in the comments below.

And if you want us to keep doing pieces like this, consider joining our Patreon or making a one-time donation through PayPal. All labor deserves compensation—even labors of love.