FOR OUR DAUGHTERS

It's out! Watch the film here...

I wanted you all to be the first to see this film. It officially launches at 2pm ET, but since it’s already up, I received permission to share with you. Many of you have walked alongside me over the past couple of years, I your support has meant so much.

(Scroll down to find the link if you’re in a hurry, but I have a few things to say…)

In advance of this release, all of us in the film are bracing ourselves. We know what’s in store.

Yesterday, I pulled up this tweet from more than a year ago. At the time, I was reflecting on the hate I saw targeting another survivor:

It’s true. Survivors and advocates are painfully familiar with the (literal) demonization from those invested in protecting abusers and the institutions they represent.

Here are Rachael’s words, from the film itself:

“Why is it that simply raising your voice about the mistreatment of women in the church and about the reality of sexual abuse in the church is enough to try to categorize you as a demonic influence and to silence your voice?”

I reflected on this further yesterday on X:

In inviting women to share their stories on camera, it was important to me to only ask survivors who knew exactly what was in store for them. I didn’t want to bring anyone into this space who didn’t know what they were stepping into. Because it’s brutal.

I’ve lost count of the number of times people have responded to news of the film with both fear and offers of prayer. Everyone knows the attacks will be ruthless. I’m grateful for every prayer & offer of support.

And I’m enormously grateful to Tiffany Thigpen, Rachael Denhollander, Jules Woodson, Cait West, and Christa Brown for once more stepping into the fray. It’s an incredible honor to stand alongside these brave women & bring their stories to the people who most need to hear them.

Still, it’s worth reflecting…Isn’t it wild, this relentless vilification of survivors & advocates? Especially within a community that purports to care so much about morality and purity and truth? Advocating for abuse reform threatens none of those things.

The only thing it threatens is power. The power of those who perpetrate abuse, and those who benefit from the system that gives cover to abuse.

So, please watch and share FOR OUR DAUGHTERS. It is available on YouTube and on the streaming platform Kinema (ideal for in-person and virtual group screenings.)

And then, consider stepping into the fray yourself, to have the backs of women who have already sacrificed so much.

In coming days, I’ll share more ideas for how to host watch parties and how to share the film. In the meantime, you can find all sorts of resources on forourdaughtersfilm.com, including a film poster, discussion guide, FAQs, and resources for abuse reporting, prevention, and healing.

Finally, as the film releases, I want to thank our incredible director, Carl Byker. Carl brought his enormous talent to this project and worked tirelessly on it for more than a year. And he did it all for zero compensation. It has been a genuine labor of love, and all of us in the film are immensely grateful for the gift he’s given us.

If you’re in West Michigan, you can meet Carl and thank him in person next Thursday. Carl, Cait, Tiffany, Len, and I (and maybe Rachael) will be in town for a screening at Kickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland. Tickets here.