Before polling results began rolling in on Nov. 5, The Lynx Books posted on Instagram advertising its Election Day Safe Space event, welcoming those who felt scared or apprehensive about the impending announcement of the next president of the United States.
The Election Day event offered an all-day happy hour, board games and a “mood mending meditation” session led by a Lynx employee and yoga instructor. The event was intended to give those dealing with political stress a safe space to cope before election results were announced.
The Lynx manager Jackie Davison said she was inspired to host the event after finding a sewing store in Maryland that planned to host a makers’ day, where visitors could work on their own sewing projects on Election Day. Davison explained that the Lynx staff felt they would benefit from a mindfulness event just as much as customers would.
“If nobody else comes, at least I get to have five minutes of deep breathing exercises, hanging out with like-minded people,” Davison said.
Political stress has been on the rise in recent elections, with the American Psychological Association reporting that 69% of adults felt that the 2024 presidential election caused a significant amount of stress in their life, up from 52% during the 2016 election.
Jenny Land, a psychologist who has worked as a therapist in Gainesville for over 30 years, said that until 2016, her clients never mentioned politics as a source of major stress.
“This time, it was people on both sides of the ticket that were expressing a lot of anxiety, which was interesting, and I think it speaks to the amount of divisiveness there is,” she said.
It is helpful for Land’s clients to understand they are not alone in the stress they are experiencing, she said, which is why The Lynx Books decided to offer resources and events to help accommodate those experiencing stress during election season. According to Davison, the Lynx aims to prioritize underrepresented members of the Gainesville community.
While the store saw few visitors on Election Day, Davison said the community reaction following the election has been substantial.
On Saturday, several customers browsed through the bookstore’s displays advertising books by Florida-based authors and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC voices. Stickers and postcards available for purchase around the store read “Ban Bigots, Not Books” and “I Buy My Banned Books at The Lynx.”
Davison explained that many customers have stopped in just to thank the store for being in Gainesville and providing them with a safe space.
“This past week, [it’s] been just people hanging out at the store a lot, just, ‘I feel safe here. I'm gonna sit here and do my work or homework, or sit here with my kids and drink coffee,’” she said.
The bookstore was founded to protect vulnerable and underrepresented members of the community, as well as amplifying their voices, Davison said.
“We want to be here to promote banned books,” Davison said. “We want to amplify queer and BIPOC voices, and we want to promote Florida literature as well.”
In the days surrounding the election, Land heard individuals in marginalized groups discuss fears that their lives would be made more difficult as a result of the election.
Rebecca Frye, a therapist who works in LGBTQ+ counseling teletherapy, said some of her clients were nervous after the outcome of the election.
Frye said her clients worried about Project 2025’s implications on same-sex marriage and gender-affirming care. She recalled noticing that the calls to the Trevor Project’s crisis hotline increased by 700% after the election, and many of her clients feared they would not be able to express their identities safely.
“People are concerned about being as out in public as they have been,” she said. “[They’re] worrying about receiving angry responses from people. People seem to feel freer these days to say things to strangers.”
Land and Frye tell their clients that the best solution to combating stress from the election is actively participating in the democratic process to advocate for their beliefs.
Although Davison often feels the weight of politics and its implications, she said she was less stressed during this election because her work as a bookstore owner supports her values and beliefs.
Davison worked in government for 12 years and felt she could not speak about her political values without offending someone or losing her job. She remembered being registered as an Independent to avoid signs of a political leaning.
“I felt like I didn't have any control over what I could do or what I could say because of what my job was,” she said. “And now I work in a bookstore that is actively saying, or going against the principles of who we've elected president. So I feel like I am doing something productive to help support my ideals and my community.”
The Lynx Books is still figuring out how the election results will impact its mission. The bookstore plans to continue its goal of amplifying the voices of underrepresented authors and Gainesville community members through events like its weekly open mics and author spotlights.
Davison laughed as she explained that Lauren Groff, a Florida author and founder of Lynx Books, wants the bookstore to be “the Dolly Parton of Florida” by providing resources and a safe space for people in the community.
One way The Lynx works to fulfill this goal is through its non-profit, The Lynx Watch Inc., which aims to distribute banned books to Gainesville community members who may not have access to them.
Above all, Davison said she wants people in Florida to feel that they belong, no matter their background or political stance.
“You have people who leave the state who are like, ‘Oh, sorry you live in Florida,’” she said. “No, that’s my home. That’s where I’m from, and we deserve to be here too.”
Land, Frye and Davison used the same word when discussing the election: “grief.” Land and Frye, who work in mental health spaces, recommended allowing time to grieve if the results of the election evoked feelings of fear and sadness.
Similarly, Davison said she is a strong believer in taking the time you need and then taking action.
Contact Juliana DeFilippo at jdefillipo@alligator.org. Follow her on X @JulianaDeF58101.
Juliana DeFilippo is a freshman journalism major and General Assignment reporter for The Avenue. In her free time, she loves to read and work on crossword puzzles.
