Anne Marie Denman was the “angel” of the family: obedient, attentive, with plans to become a nun. When she came out as gay to her conservative Catholic parents, a deep rupture drove them apart.

How do you stay close to people who won’t share your worldview? Can love exist while someone feels rejected? And can you invest in the relationship without condoning the other’s convictions? These are some of the questions Anne Marie and her mother, Sharon, wrestled with over the years, as they fought to protect a connection that was threatened by their differences.

Mother and daughter join Mónica for an intimate and vulnerable conversation about the ups and downs of that journey — and what it takes to stay connected without demanding agreement.

Show notes with full credits, links and other information can be found here: https://www.reclaimcuriosity.com/post/a-braver-way-episode-23

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most of human history, offensive speech was equal to violence, and saying the wrong thing could get your tongue chopped off. Today, we aim to use words instead of violence. But what do you do when those words really hurt?

This week on A Braver Way, Moni sits down with Greg Lukianoff, who she fondly calls “the free speech guy.” Greg is an attorney, author and president of the mighty Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Together, they explore the complicated relationship between speech and safety, and how what we let ourselves say determines how we let ourselves live.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With political tensions at a new peak, the pressure to take a stand — or keep the peace — can be intense. But how do you know the difference between the move that feels right and the one that is right?

In our first episode after a long break, Mónica, a liberal, talks with her conservative friend and fellow bridge builder April Lawson about what it takes to know what’s truly yours to do at this moment. Drawing on ideas from people who’ve seen the best and worst of humanity, along with their own struggles to navigate what feels like an increasingly scary world, Moni and April explore how to step out of the heat long enough to ask:

• How do I avoid using "peacemaking" as a cover for a lack of courage?
• What's the line between humanizing someone … and enabling them?
• When it comes to division in my community, my family, and my country: What will I wish I had done when my grandchildren ask what I did?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.