This conversation covered so many topics I am processing whether alone, in therapy or in conversation with people close to me. I watched Nanette when I was resistant to the idea that I needed therapy for my experiences partly because I felt like I was FINE. FINE, I’m telling you. The fact that I couldn’t engage with any media that showed even mild sexual peril was normal. The fact that I couldn’t even read about the MeToo movement without feeling an urge to wail and yell simultaneously and so avoided all mention of it was normal. The way I felt inside, like I was an alien imitating happy, conforming behaviour was NORMAL. I was definitely a normal person and normal people didn’t need therapy. Nothing to see, nothing to fix. Then I watched Nanette, and felt like they were telling my story. Also, I was telling my therapist just this morning about how my understanding of my relationship with my late father changed post-rebuilding. I spend so much time re-examining the narrative of my life. It’s come as a shock to me that in fact my childhood was not a happy one, lol. All this to say, this will be a conversation I keep returning to and gaining a deeper understanding from. Thank you truly for engaging so deeply with the intersection of trauma, vulnerability, marginalization and misogyny.
This was a great interview Clare and Aisling. I remember watching Nanette and crying the whole time. You cover so many valuable conversation topics in this piece. I am not sure I can quote all the lines I appreciate. I especially like the parts about rewriting narratives and in understanding that not all victims have the same story to tell. I need to check this Monica interview out as well.
Great to see this go live Clare, so glad we had this conversation!!
This conversation covered so many topics I am processing whether alone, in therapy or in conversation with people close to me. I watched Nanette when I was resistant to the idea that I needed therapy for my experiences partly because I felt like I was FINE. FINE, I’m telling you. The fact that I couldn’t engage with any media that showed even mild sexual peril was normal. The fact that I couldn’t even read about the MeToo movement without feeling an urge to wail and yell simultaneously and so avoided all mention of it was normal. The way I felt inside, like I was an alien imitating happy, conforming behaviour was NORMAL. I was definitely a normal person and normal people didn’t need therapy. Nothing to see, nothing to fix. Then I watched Nanette, and felt like they were telling my story. Also, I was telling my therapist just this morning about how my understanding of my relationship with my late father changed post-rebuilding. I spend so much time re-examining the narrative of my life. It’s come as a shock to me that in fact my childhood was not a happy one, lol. All this to say, this will be a conversation I keep returning to and gaining a deeper understanding from. Thank you truly for engaging so deeply with the intersection of trauma, vulnerability, marginalization and misogyny.
This was a great interview Clare and Aisling. I remember watching Nanette and crying the whole time. You cover so many valuable conversation topics in this piece. I am not sure I can quote all the lines I appreciate. I especially like the parts about rewriting narratives and in understanding that not all victims have the same story to tell. I need to check this Monica interview out as well.