Grady Hendrix

Oh, I mean, I think that's something that haunts a lot of these women for the rest of their lives. You know, reading Ann Fessler's book, talking to a few people, you know, you're a kid. You can barely make decisions about what to wear. And suddenly you're being told you need to sign these papers and you have no choice. And these girls were not told their options.

They were not told, you know, their legal rights. And I think a lot of them, I mean, I know a lot of them are haunted by guilt for the rest of their lives. And I've seen people reunite with their kids after being sent to a maternity home. And it's incredible. It is really incredible. The healing that's there and how something feels completed is mind-blowing.

They were not told, you know, their legal rights. And I think a lot of them, I mean, I know a lot of them are haunted by guilt for the rest of their lives. And I've seen people reunite with their kids after being sent to a maternity home. And it's incredible. It is really incredible. The healing that's there and how something feels completed is mind-blowing.

They were not told, you know, their legal rights. And I think a lot of them, I mean, I know a lot of them are haunted by guilt for the rest of their lives. And I've seen people reunite with their kids after being sent to a maternity home. And it's incredible. It is really incredible. The healing that's there and how something feels completed is mind-blowing.

And I've seen, on the other hand, women who never saw their kids again. You know, it didn't necessarily ruin their lives, but it was always a shadow that hung over them for decades. And the fact that we did this on such a wholesale level as a society, and like you said, what made my jaw drop was how much we hated these girls.

And I've seen, on the other hand, women who never saw their kids again. You know, it didn't necessarily ruin their lives, but it was always a shadow that hung over them for decades. And the fact that we did this on such a wholesale level as a society, and like you said, what made my jaw drop was how much we hated these girls.

And I've seen, on the other hand, women who never saw their kids again. You know, it didn't necessarily ruin their lives, but it was always a shadow that hung over them for decades. And the fact that we did this on such a wholesale level as a society, and like you said, what made my jaw drop was how much we hated these girls.

I mean, newspaper editorials about how Alcatraz should be turned into a home for unwed mothers, newspaper columnists calling these girls sick and unnatural, and no consequences for the men. I read a lot of books of resources. I found one. Social Worker Manual, a handbook from 1974 that mentions unwed fathers in one sentence. And that's it.

I mean, newspaper editorials about how Alcatraz should be turned into a home for unwed mothers, newspaper columnists calling these girls sick and unnatural, and no consequences for the men. I read a lot of books of resources. I found one. Social Worker Manual, a handbook from 1974 that mentions unwed fathers in one sentence. And that's it.

I mean, newspaper editorials about how Alcatraz should be turned into a home for unwed mothers, newspaper columnists calling these girls sick and unnatural, and no consequences for the men. I read a lot of books of resources. I found one. Social Worker Manual, a handbook from 1974 that mentions unwed fathers in one sentence. And that's it.

You know, it's funny. I thought about this a lot, right? I write horror novels. I mean, I write entertainment. And in writing this, I was like, well, who are my bad guys? Who are my bad guys? Like, well, it can't be the witches. I mean, the witches are scary, but the witches are also offering knowledge and liberation. And then I thought, well, is it the people running the homes?

You know, it's funny. I thought about this a lot, right? I write horror novels. I mean, I write entertainment. And in writing this, I was like, well, who are my bad guys? Who are my bad guys? Like, well, it can't be the witches. I mean, the witches are scary, but the witches are also offering knowledge and liberation. And then I thought, well, is it the people running the homes?

You know, it's funny. I thought about this a lot, right? I write horror novels. I mean, I write entertainment. And in writing this, I was like, well, who are my bad guys? Who are my bad guys? Like, well, it can't be the witches. I mean, the witches are scary, but the witches are also offering knowledge and liberation. And then I thought, well, is it the people running the homes?

And I thought, no, you know, the people running the homes were really convinced they were doing what was best for these girls. Is it the girl who's got pregnant? No, of course it's not these girls who got pregnant. Some of them were date raped. Some of them were molested. Some of them just didn't even know what birth control was or have access to it.

And I thought, no, you know, the people running the homes were really convinced they were doing what was best for these girls. Is it the girl who's got pregnant? No, of course it's not these girls who got pregnant. Some of them were date raped. Some of them were molested. Some of them just didn't even know what birth control was or have access to it.

And I thought, no, you know, the people running the homes were really convinced they were doing what was best for these girls. Is it the girl who's got pregnant? No, of course it's not these girls who got pregnant. Some of them were date raped. Some of them were molested. Some of them just didn't even know what birth control was or have access to it.

It's one of those stories where there isn't a villain. There are just a lot of people who were really convinced that they were right. And That conviction did so much damage to so many millions of people.

It's one of those stories where there isn't a villain. There are just a lot of people who were really convinced that they were right. And That conviction did so much damage to so many millions of people.

It's one of those stories where there isn't a villain. There are just a lot of people who were really convinced that they were right. And That conviction did so much damage to so many millions of people.

Yeah, I mean, I think we're all told as teenagers, even as adults to some extent, here's the path. Follow the path and everything will be fine. You won't have to worry about anything. And I think most of us know that that's just not true. And then I looked at these witches who were sort of the counterpoint to that. And what really inspired my witches was less...