D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
@dlmayfield.bsky.social
🇵🇸 Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Autistic non-binary, exvangelical, tired. Co-founder of STRONGWILLED, a multi-media project focused on survivors of religious authoritarian parenting methods.
http://strongwilledproject.com
Autistic non-binary, exvangelical, tired. Co-founder of STRONGWILLED, a multi-media project focused on survivors of religious authoritarian parenting methods.
http://strongwilledproject.com
Pinned
STRONGWILLED | Krispin Mayfield | Substack
Reclaiming autonomy and exploring the long-terms impacts of religious authoritarian parenting. Click to read STRONGWILLED, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
open.substack.com
My new book all about this is called STRONGWILLED and I am publishing it chapter by chapter on Substack if you want to take a look! open.substack.com/pub/strongwi...
Serial child predators are attracted to patriarchal Christianity for multiple reasons.
1). If they are male they are privileged and prioritized
2). Easy access to children and their trusting/gullible caregivers
3). The doctrine of forgiveness*
*this only applies to men, not children just FYI
1). If they are male they are privileged and prioritized
2). Easy access to children and their trusting/gullible caregivers
3). The doctrine of forgiveness*
*this only applies to men, not children just FYI
November 25, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Serial child predators are attracted to patriarchal Christianity for multiple reasons.
1). If they are male they are privileged and prioritized
2). Easy access to children and their trusting/gullible caregivers
3). The doctrine of forgiveness*
*this only applies to men, not children just FYI
1). If they are male they are privileged and prioritized
2). Easy access to children and their trusting/gullible caregivers
3). The doctrine of forgiveness*
*this only applies to men, not children just FYI
The reason I am determined to expose people like Dr. Dobson is because he (and so many other evangelical men) tried to hide their abusive personalities behind the veneer of being good and godly people.
November 24, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The reason I am determined to expose people like Dr. Dobson is because he (and so many other evangelical men) tried to hide their abusive personalities behind the veneer of being good and godly people.
As people are waking up to the reality that MAGA has done nothing to protect children, it’s a good time to delve into the history behind men with power who have done everything they can to ensure predators keep having access to children.
November 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
As people are waking up to the reality that MAGA has done nothing to protect children, it’s a good time to delve into the history behind men with power who have done everything they can to ensure predators keep having access to children.
Not to sound too conspiratorial but powerful men have known the profiles of those most likely to abuse children and have consistently worked to keep that information out of the public. So, we are doing that work for them: strongwilled.substack.com/p/hiding-in-...
Hiding in Plain Sight: How Child Sexual Abusers Operate (and How to Spot Them)
Purity Culture is Pedophile Culture Part 2
strongwilled.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Not to sound too conspiratorial but powerful men have known the profiles of those most likely to abuse children and have consistently worked to keep that information out of the public. So, we are doing that work for them: strongwilled.substack.com/p/hiding-in-...
As a reminder Dr. James Dobson in his 70s was making podcasts where he called 18yos "perfection" and that this was really normal behavior for all men. Part of his work was to normalize this belief that ALL men were attracted to teenagers.
November 22, 2025 at 3:20 PM
As a reminder Dr. James Dobson in his 70s was making podcasts where he called 18yos "perfection" and that this was really normal behavior for all men. Part of his work was to normalize this belief that ALL men were attracted to teenagers.
My extended family members worked for Lockheed Martin, were Republican Senators, evangelical pastors, predatory realtors and proud members of the John Birch Society. And I turned out to be a leftist anarchist writer who won't stop yapping about the harms of white patriarchal Christianity!!!!
November 22, 2025 at 2:45 AM
My extended family members worked for Lockheed Martin, were Republican Senators, evangelical pastors, predatory realtors and proud members of the John Birch Society. And I turned out to be a leftist anarchist writer who won't stop yapping about the harms of white patriarchal Christianity!!!!
Krispin and I talked about navigating the holiday season with toxic/enmeshed families over on Patreon. If you like our content and want to support us -- plus find some solidarity and solace this holiday season, come join us and listen! y www.patreon.com/posts/holida...
Holidaze (patreon only episode) | STRONGWILLED
Get more from STRONGWILLED on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Krispin and I talked about navigating the holiday season with toxic/enmeshed families over on Patreon. If you like our content and want to support us -- plus find some solidarity and solace this holiday season, come join us and listen! y www.patreon.com/posts/holida...
Also a reporter from the NYT called me a few weeks ago to interview me about turning my little free library into a little free pantry and at the end I told her my pronouns and she went quiet and then said something about editorial standards. Guess who didn't make it into the story?
I needed a NYTimes subscription to access some reporting from 1985 for my purity culture is pedophile culture series . . .
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
November 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Also a reporter from the NYT called me a few weeks ago to interview me about turning my little free library into a little free pantry and at the end I told her my pronouns and she went quiet and then said something about editorial standards. Guess who didn't make it into the story?
I needed a NYTimes subscription to access some reporting from 1985 for my purity culture is pedophile culture series . . .
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
November 20, 2025 at 4:29 PM
I needed a NYTimes subscription to access some reporting from 1985 for my purity culture is pedophile culture series . . .
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
and damn it felt good to cancel that subscription today and tell them why :)
For my project STRONGWILLED we look at evangelical parenting and family life materials. So much of them cater to serial child predators in multiple ways but an important component of that is pressuring young women and teenagers to always, always forgive and forget those who abuse them. Always.
NEW: The leaders of an Old Apostolic Lutheran Church community in Minnesota enabled a child abuser by pressuring his victims to forgive and forget his sins — so that they could never speak of them again.
With @startribune.com
With @startribune.com
Young Girls Were Sexually Abused by a Church Member. They Were Told to Forgive and Forget.
In Minnesota, leaders of an Old Apostolic Lutheran Church community enabled a child abuser by telling his victims that once the sins were “washed away in the blood of reconciliation,” they could never...
www.propublica.org
November 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
For my project STRONGWILLED we look at evangelical parenting and family life materials. So much of them cater to serial child predators in multiple ways but an important component of that is pressuring young women and teenagers to always, always forgive and forget those who abuse them. Always.
Just a little reminder for all my fellow people who come from toxic, enmeshed, and emotionally immature families:
You deserve holidays that are comforting, nourishing, and are about good food and being around people you actually like being around. Full stop.
You deserve holidays that are comforting, nourishing, and are about good food and being around people you actually like being around. Full stop.
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Just a little reminder for all my fellow people who come from toxic, enmeshed, and emotionally immature families:
You deserve holidays that are comforting, nourishing, and are about good food and being around people you actually like being around. Full stop.
You deserve holidays that are comforting, nourishing, and are about good food and being around people you actually like being around. Full stop.
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Learned a bit too much about Epstein's Zorro Ranch and now my tummy hurts
November 19, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Learned a bit too much about Epstein's Zorro Ranch and now my tummy hurts
Just when I think the SBC can't get any worse, it does! But weirdly enough, protecting pedophiles is very much connected to being fascist racists who enjoy terrorizing non-white populations and always has been.
Two Hispanic pastors who lead Southern Baptist churches in New England say that SBC President Clint Pressley and its executive board received briefings on the plan and discussed it with Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and WH Border Czar Tom Homan. thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
Exclusive: Trump DHS Plans Immigration Raids on Churches Over Holidays
The Trump Dept. of Homeland Security is briefing federal agencies on plans for immigration enforcement operations inside churches over holidays.
thisweekinworcester.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Just when I think the SBC can't get any worse, it does! But weirdly enough, protecting pedophiles is very much connected to being fascist racists who enjoy terrorizing non-white populations and always has been.
Two Hispanic pastors who lead Southern Baptist churches in New England say that SBC President Clint Pressley and its executive board received briefings on the plan and discussed it with Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and WH Border Czar Tom Homan. thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
Exclusive: Trump DHS Plans Immigration Raids on Churches Over Holidays
The Trump Dept. of Homeland Security is briefing federal agencies on plans for immigration enforcement operations inside churches over holidays.
thisweekinworcester.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Two Hispanic pastors who lead Southern Baptist churches in New England say that SBC President Clint Pressley and its executive board received briefings on the plan and discussed it with Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and WH Border Czar Tom Homan. thisweekinworcester.com/exclusive-tr...
You can ask anyone in your life rn: do you believe in protecting children from predators? And see how they respond. Take careful note if they use any language to protect the powerful people they vote for or tithe to. They are revealing themselves to be unsafe people, and should be treated as such.
November 18, 2025 at 4:49 PM
You can ask anyone in your life rn: do you believe in protecting children from predators? And see how they respond. Take careful note if they use any language to protect the powerful people they vote for or tithe to. They are revealing themselves to be unsafe people, and should be treated as such.
It's been months of crickets on every social media platform for me. Crickets! Meanwhile I mostly keep doing what I have always done for the past 15 years (be myself, and occasionally rant about stuff).
For some reason my instagram is currently blowing up and there is truly no reason for it.
For some reason my instagram is currently blowing up and there is truly no reason for it.
November 17, 2025 at 8:32 PM
It's been months of crickets on every social media platform for me. Crickets! Meanwhile I mostly keep doing what I have always done for the past 15 years (be myself, and occasionally rant about stuff).
For some reason my instagram is currently blowing up and there is truly no reason for it.
For some reason my instagram is currently blowing up and there is truly no reason for it.
I adopted a cat last week and he is perfect and he has improved my mental health by like 70%.
November 17, 2025 at 4:05 AM
I adopted a cat last week and he is perfect and he has improved my mental health by like 70%.
the reddest of red flags are people who excuse predatory behavior against children. If your family members are doing this currently in order to protect their political party I hope you never leave your children around them ever again.
They are revealing who they are, and you should believe them.
They are revealing who they are, and you should believe them.
November 16, 2025 at 10:44 PM
the reddest of red flags are people who excuse predatory behavior against children. If your family members are doing this currently in order to protect their political party I hope you never leave your children around them ever again.
They are revealing who they are, and you should believe them.
They are revealing who they are, and you should believe them.
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
So of course these same folks are not going to take child sexual abuse seriously. They have been trained (or they truly believe) that power imbalances do not exist. It is the entire basis for how and why they abuse their children. Once they are locked into this worldview it is hard to leave it.
November 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
So of course these same folks are not going to take child sexual abuse seriously. They have been trained (or they truly believe) that power imbalances do not exist. It is the entire basis for how and why they abuse their children. Once they are locked into this worldview it is hard to leave it.
I'm curious what others think . . . it absolutely is vital to getting kids to obey their parents and subscribe to their belief system. It's what the entire hell thing is about!
It really isn’t a ‘core belief of Christianity’. Jesus would never have said that (and I’m not a Christian). He preached forgiveness even for sinners, if I’m not mistaken.
November 16, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I'm curious what others think . . . it absolutely is vital to getting kids to obey their parents and subscribe to their belief system. It's what the entire hell thing is about!
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
Secular religious trauma therapist here! The doctrine of original sin is so devastating to a child’s self esteem. In many evangelical environments (especially Calvinist ones), children believe they are bad by default… and then parents wonder why they struggle with self-h*rm etc.
November 16, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Secular religious trauma therapist here! The doctrine of original sin is so devastating to a child’s self esteem. In many evangelical environments (especially Calvinist ones), children believe they are bad by default… and then parents wonder why they struggle with self-h*rm etc.
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
And I think it follows from the sin leveling idea. Being taught that stealing candy is equivalent to murder because any sin separates you from God and sends you to hell.
And it allows the powerful to use the “everybody makes mistakes” excuse to escape accountability.
And it allows the powerful to use the “everybody makes mistakes” excuse to escape accountability.
November 16, 2025 at 4:11 PM
And I think it follows from the sin leveling idea. Being taught that stealing candy is equivalent to murder because any sin separates you from God and sends you to hell.
And it allows the powerful to use the “everybody makes mistakes” excuse to escape accountability.
And it allows the powerful to use the “everybody makes mistakes” excuse to escape accountability.
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
Original sin's core tenet is that all people are born evil and must redeem, so children must be equally guilty ( this also forks creepily into other things )
It's genuinely so fucked up
It's genuinely so fucked up
November 16, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Original sin's core tenet is that all people are born evil and must redeem, so children must be equally guilty ( this also forks creepily into other things )
It's genuinely so fucked up
It's genuinely so fucked up
Reposted by D.L. Mayfield (they/them)
This is precisely the parenting that leads to a 4 year old being so terrified of going to hell that she insists on becoming a Christian.
Fucking four years old.
It’s abuse at its core making the entire ideology rotten.
Fucking four years old.
It’s abuse at its core making the entire ideology rotten.
As someone who has spent the past several years reading evangelical parenting books I gotta tell you the backbone of these books is that there is no such thing as a power differential. That children (even babies) are as sinful and manipulative as adults and deserving of pain and punishment.
November 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
This is precisely the parenting that leads to a 4 year old being so terrified of going to hell that she insists on becoming a Christian.
Fucking four years old.
It’s abuse at its core making the entire ideology rotten.
Fucking four years old.
It’s abuse at its core making the entire ideology rotten.