Church, Control & Coming Out | An Officer’s Kid

Charlie remembers the moment her dad sat her down and said, “I’m not the person you think I am.”In this episode, I sit down with Charlie to talk about what it was really like growing up as an officer’s kid in The Salvation Army, here in Australia. We get into the realities behind the uniform, including the abuse of power, the pressure of living under constant expectation, and the impact of growing up in a church system where questioning isn’t always welcomed.Charlie also shares her experience of her daughter coming out as gay within the church, and the internal conflict that comes with trying to reconcile identity, belief, and belonging.This is a raw, honest conversation about control, contradiction, and what happens when the place that’s meant to guide you… ends up causing harm.No pretending. Just Talking.Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.