Childhood and Family Dynamics

• 👧 Jessimae grew up as the youngest of four girls from multiple marriages, experiencing a chaotic family environment that taught her to be comfortable in chaos.
• 💔 Witnessing relationship failures and disrespect between adults normalized unhealthy relationship dynamics for her.
• 🎭 Comedy became a way to divert from chaos, with stand-up providing a space to divulge personal demons and feel safe.

Navigating Early Trauma and "Me Too" Moments

• ⚠️ Jessimae recounts numerous "Me Too" moments from a young age, including a disturbing encounter with a mentally disabled man exposing himself at age 11.
• 🍕 A subsequent incident involved her pizza shop boss grabbing her hand and placing it on his erect penis, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior.
• 😔 These early experiences of sexual harassment and assault robbed her of innocence and forced her into a defensive mindset.

Uncle's Abuse and Its Impact

• 💔 A deeply personal lowlight involved her uncle, who had been abusing a friend for years, a secret kept during family vacations.
• 🤫 The decision to stay an extra week at a family lake house, knowing about the abuse, created immense pressure and guilt.
• ⚖️ After reporting the abuse, the uncle received only community service, a consequence Jessimae found insufficient given the profound impact on her friend and family relationships.

First Sexual Experience and Its Aftermath

• 🩸 Jessimae's first sexual experience at 16 was a rape by a 19-year-old bouncer, an event she cannot fully recall due to dissociation.
• ❓ She initially didn't recognize it as rape until a friend explained the physical signs and the health teacher provided support and resources.
• 🗣️ The perpetrator later reached out with a vague apology, offering no real closure.

Healing and Healthy Relationships

• ❤️ Jessimae found healing through therapy and a supportive, respectful relationship in Boston, which also led her to discover her talent for comedy.
• 🎤 Stand-up comedy became a form of therapy and a way to reclaim control, fostering an intimate connection with the audience.
• 💡 She learned that dating choices reflect self-worth, realizing she was the common denominator in unhealthy relationships.

Dealing with Borderline Personality Disorder

• ⚠️ A significant relationship involved a partner with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which she notes is similar to bipolar disorder in its complexity.
• 💔 Individuals with BPD can be draining and manipulative, attempting to isolate their partners and break them down.
• 🚫 Jessimae emphasizes that it is not one's job to save someone with mental illness, as they must choose to save themselves.
• 🛡️ She obtained a restraining order against this individual after he broke into her home, marking a turning point in her self-love journey.

Advice to Younger Self

• ✨ Jessimae would tell her 16-year-old self that she is loved, inherently worthy, and that no one can take away her truth, dignity, or self-respect.