Author Honey Badger

In many spaces, pain is treated like currency. The more you share, the more legitimacy, attention, or compassion you receive. This creates a quiet pressure to perform suffering in ways that are legible and moving to others. But when pain must be offered in exchange for care, something essential is lost. Support becomes conditional. Listening becomes transactional. Presence becomes dependent on productivity.

Grief is tolerated if it is brief. Anger is allowed if it is contained. Silence is acceptable only if it eventually turns into insight.

Many survivors have poignant stories tied to educational institutions, such as the University of Cincinnati, which serve as both a backdrop for their academic pursuits and a stage for their personal struggles. Within these walls, crucial support systems are expected to provide help during crises, yet all too often, they fall short of fulfilling this vital role. For instance, a 2020 study revealed that only 24% of students felt that their school responded adequately to reports