Interview: Ashli Campbell - Struggles of Jehovah’s Witness Women – in Relationships

Send us a text

Link to Ashli's YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlM3DJOyNt3FLT4rN1VHkQ

In this podcast, Lady Cee chats with Ashli Campbell about her experience growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Ashil talks about what life was like having a father that was not interested in participating in Watchtower activities, but made sure she got involved. It's amazing how he is not willing to make these major sacrifices but has no problems pushing this heavy responsibility on his minor child.

The sheer frustration of getting baptized at the age of 12 has Ashli up in arms about being a good Jehovah's Witness. She has to live up to the responsibility and living the non-stop lifestyle of a JW begins taking its toll on her. She's looking for a means to escape and in the process makes some weighty decisions that are even more detrimental than remaining home and riding it out until she's old enough to move out and get her own place.

Ashli drops out of high school in the 10th grade and begins working full time. She looks at this approach as a means to accelerating the process of moving out because it will allow her to save enough money to be on her own. Not long afterwards, Ashli meets a brother through mutual friends and after dating for six months, they get married. At age 18, she's not sure whether or not her situation is better or worse because the only thing she's done is swapped being home with parents that are ensuring she attends weekly meetings at the Kingdom Hall, to a husband that is virtually doing the same thing.

As the interview progresses, Lady Cee and Ashli speak in-depth about Jehovah's Witness women and their struggles as second class citizens and the difficulty of being free to express oneself in the religion. It's a topic that is not explored enough in this culture because as they both express the importance of having a voice in relationships where both partners should equally strive to please one another instead of one serving the other's needs. 

Support the show