This is the story of one little girl growing up in America in a seemingly perfect family. Under the appearance of normalcy and order, a father wielded power over every family member, through his expressions of rage, control, and predatory sexual behavior. For decades she internalized them to the detriment of her self-esteem and agency. She came to understand that her father’s distorted projections had nothing to do with her.

This is a story so common, and yet so devastating; the patterns depicted are repeated every day in America. Christine Heller was motivated to let go of shame to tell this story after the Supreme Court struck down Roe V Wade. She wanted to be in solidarity with other women and girls and to narrate a story that would resonate with all women.