The Real YouQ
Meet cult survivor and Bachelor of Arts student Claire Ashman
"Despite living a negative religious experience in my early years, I have come to see and understand how rich and unique that experience was. I want to deepen my knowledge of that part of my life so that others may learn from it."
Welcome to The Real YouQ, the latest Contact Q&A series offering a glimpse into the real lives of members of the UQ community – from alumni to students and staff.
In this edition, we meet celebrated TEDx speaker, author and UQ Bachelor of Arts student Claire Ashman. Claire is a cult survivor, and spent 36 years of her life cut off from the outside world in two repressive religious sects (the Society of St Pius X and the Order of Saint Charbel), following a strict form of Tridentine Catholicism. She eventually escaped, forging a new life for herself and her children. Through her TEDx talks and book, Lessons from a Cult Survivor, Claire is renowned for her strength, courage, and determination in pushing through difficult obstacles in order to create a life of freedom beyond barbed wire fences.
Claire is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Studies in Religion and Sociology, and in 2021 she was the recipient of the Robertson Family Scholarship – established in 2013 to assist an exceptional student pursuing Studies in Religion later in life.
Through research into the rise of Tridentine Catholicism in Australia, and via platforms such as TEDx, Claire hopes her courage and honesty will help countless women overcome their shame and find support after leaving extreme religious groups.
But who is Claire away from her studies and the TEDx stage? Keep reading to find out.
Q: What is your favourite UQ memory?
A: My favourite UQ memory is reading the congratulatory email from the scholarship team to say that I had been awarded the Robertson Family Scholarship. I had to jump through so many hoops to get to uni and, honestly, I cried with joy when I received the email because it made such a big difference to me financially.
Q: Is there a place you feel most connected to on campus and why?
A: I'm a country girl at heart so having so many outdoor seats available where I share a coffee with a friend is perfect for me. Being connected to nature is my happy place.
Q: Looking back to the day you first set foot on campus, is there anything you wish to tell that person now?
A: I wish I could have told 2021 Claire to just go with the flow and soak it all in. I was in too much of a hurry to know everything about everything!
Q: What’s the one fact that people wouldn’t know about you?
A: I can churn butter by hand – and make the bread to spread it on too!
Q: Is there a skill you wish you had learnt, or one that you're currently trying to master?
A: I'd like to master spinning wool, and then knit a jumper form that wool.
Q: What are 3 things you can’t live without?
A: Three things I can't live without are: sound sleep, a great coffee to begin the day, and brekkie – my favourite meal of the day!
Q: What are you currently reading?
A: I always have 3 books on the go, currently they are: Outlive: the Science and Art of Longevity, by Dr. Peter Attia; Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis, by John. T. McGreevy; and Becoming an Ex, by Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh.
Q: Who are your real-life heroes?
A: My real-life heroes are Andrew Huberman of Huberman Lab Podcast fame. I love how he overcame family trauma and difficulties to follow his passion for neuroscience. Another is Michelle Obama, for similar reasons. I have many such heroes, but it would take too long to list. I love hearing people's life stories because there is always something you can learn from them.
Q: What drove you to pursue religious studies at university after your experiences as a child and young adult?
A: Despite living a negative religious experience in my early years, I have come to see and understand how rich and unique that experience was. I want to deepen my knowledge of that part of my life so that others may learn from it.
Q: What legacy do you hope to leave in terms of empowering women?
A: The legacy I want to leave is that through sharing of my story and academic work, people will have a deeper understanding of those who leave high-demand religions. And for those that leave, they will know they aren't alone, and their experience will be better understood by those around them.
Claire Ashman on her first Communion day. Image: supplied
Claire Ashman on her first Communion day. Image: supplied
Claire Ashman during a TEDx talk. Image: Arek Rainczuk / Fifth Castle Media
Claire Ashman during a TEDx talk. Image: Arek Rainczuk / Fifth Castle Media
Watch Claire's TEDxUQ talk about finding freedom as a cult survivor.
Celebrating 10 years of TEDxUQ
TEDxUQ turns 10 this year. To celebrate this milestone, Contact caught up with some of the UQ community members who have been part of TEDxUQ over the years, including Claire Ashman. Find out how TEDxUQ has evolved from a 100-person affair to selling out 500 tickets, and how it has become a flagship event for the wider UQ community to look forward to each year.
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