Ranae Holland, a host of Animal Planet’s "Finding Bigfoot," had a sense Hillary Clinton wouldn’t win the election. “I’m a lesbian environmental activist, so I am very Seattle urban archipelago liberal bubble,” she says.
From KUOW:
“I would come home on a hiatus and everybody’s all, ‘No problem, Hillary’s got this in the bag.’ And I was talking to my friends, ‘You guys, have you left the city limits? Have you talked to any of your folks back in Montana?’"
"Finding Bigfoot" began filming in 2010, and Holland has traveled a lot through rural America since then and she says it was a real wake-up call. She was able to see the anger and feelings of being marginalized outside major cities.
Holland saw a red wave coming and indeed on Nov. 8, it came. Holland is concerned what President-elect Donald Trump will mean for her rights as a lesbian and for environmental protection. But the lessons she’s learned having conversations with people who believe in Bigfoot give her hope that we don’t have to be a divided nation.
“I want to be vulnerable. I want to look somebody in the eye and have a conversation, a sincere conversation,” she says. “I think it’s this mentality of proving someone is right or wrong, it’s black or white, that mentality is what has gotten us to this horrible place.”
She gave an example of a Baptist she met while filming the show. The man was surprised to learn Holland was a lesbian. She was able to have a conversation with him about her sexuality and religion that happened organically.
“I didn’t try to change his mind or his religion. I tried to tell him my experience and why I believe the way I do, without calling him a name or tearing him down,” says Holland. “The conversation can be vulnerable. The conversation can be gracious.”
Bigfoot has taught Holland the power of asking questions. She believes that is the only way that people on the opposite side of any issue, whether it be abortion, climate change, or even Bigfoot, can come together.
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