The Heather Gold Show: Everyday Courage rundown
What happens when you get a pharmaceutical venture capitalist, a trans punk performer and a Sudanese refugee together over baked goods? Plenty.My first guest Antoun Nabhan struggles with the issue of heroism and courage in everyday life. In his office and plane-bound job, he wonders how and where the Courage shows up.Lynnee Breedlove demonstrated and some immediately, performed an excerpt from his solo piece One Freak Show about his genderqueer experience using public bathrooms. If he’s in the women’s bathroom, he gets told “there’s a man in the women’s bathroom.” The men’s bathroom is, apparently easier, in part becasue of the lack of eye contact and direct behaviour. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to catch all the nuances. We did have quite a discussion about bathroom behaviour. Lynnee demo’d the “piece- de’ beau” (I’m not sure how one spells it) that allows him to pee standing up. Look out Justin Timberlake, Lynnee’s got his own special present.Gadet Riek gave a new meaning and insight to everyday courage as he spoke about escaping Sudan on foot with his older brother. The greatest power of his story comes from the everyday nature of his act he reveals in the context of its time and place. No matter what questions he was asked by any of the guests or audience, his answers came back to the simple fact that it was the reality in which he found himself. There was no great moment, no epiphany, no John Willliams soundtrack letting him or anyone else know the greatness of his acts. “There was no time. We had to keep moving.”
Highlights and Links
One man in the audience asked Gadet about his feelings about his fellow students at USF. “They don’t realize how privileged they are.” Gadet responded by saying he does not resent or begrudge his classmates a thing, nor does he feel they should make their lives and different than they are. he himself would have accepted a life that came with more physical ease. Judging them “would change nothing about my life.”It was clear from the discussion and the connection between Lynnee and Gadet that courage is not about life without fear. It is, in part, about complete acceptance of oneself and life the way it is. With there is no need or inclination to judge others.
