Jules Stevenson — Trauma, Resilience, and the Poetics of Survival

In this conversation, 21‑year‑old poet, artist, and social media influencer Jules Stevenson of Selkirk, Manitoba shares the deeply personal and resilient journey that shaped her writing. Beginning in her early teens as a way to cope with anxiety, depression, anorexia, sexual trauma, abuse, and suicide, Jules has developed an intimate and unflinchingly honest body of work.Jules began writing in her early teens as a means of coping with anxiety, depression, anorexia, sexual trauma, abuse, and suicide. Over the years, her writing has evolved into an incredibly intimate and honest body of work. At 16, Jules self-published her first book, ‘atrophy,’ a collection focused on anorexia. Her work frequently explores themes of trauma, the body, feminism, and mental health. In 2023, her poem 'An Apology to My Cat' went viral on TikTok, with over 12.6 million views. This global reaction led to the self-publication of her poetry memoir, ‘self portraits of a girl collapsing violently inward,’ which focuses on sexual and digital trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic.Jules has garnered several accolades in the poetry community, including winning first place at Slamdemic, third place with her team at Poetry in Voice, and securing second place multiple times at Poetry Battles. In 2024, she represented her province at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam, showcasing her talent on a national stage. She was also selected by the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation to co-author and perform a poem on gender equality at the legislature for International Development Week. Currently, Jules spends her time working as a barista, writing, and enjoying the company of her beloved cats, Moth and Lamp. Website https://www.juliestevenson.ca Social Media https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQrLpVSQGKS-pI_6KRe1GJw https://www.tiktok.com/@recently.depressed