Shifting With the Landscape

Most of our political system is beyond our direct control, so while we might exert some small influence on it, it's usually drowned out overall.

Sure we can vote, but the impact is limited. We can campaign, but it's the same problem: It's bloody difficult to get enough people to agree with much less commit to a thing.

As it happens, our most effective options tend to be right in front of us.

The trick is to play the field. First, use the system rather than trying to change it and you'll often get more mileage out of your effort.

I'll give you some examples:

I'm trans. In my state there have been protections on the books for people like me since 2006. However, starting in 2015 people have been attempting to roll those back. One of the issues is laws around restroom usage. I got my birth certificate changed so any such law would force me into the women's restroom. Given that most people perceive me as a woman, regardless of me being male, this solves the problem for me in perpetuity. I no longer have to worry about such laws.

I'm queer, and I am concerned about the expansion of religion into government, especially with men like Mike Pence so close to the levers of power. One option in front of me is to start a church for queer folx, and lobby for rights using the very same "religious freedom" laws that are used to cast us out.

I don't like paying taxes toward endless wars and enriching the very wealthy. My options are (aside from running afoul of the IRS) to be very rich, or very poor. Very poor is easy enough if you can be comfortable with what you have and you're not inclined to want.

What other ways can you use the existing system in order to get what you want, despite the law?

Any ideas?