Author Lindsay Lees talks about her debut novel, The Willing:
Is the idea of a “successful” utopia a complete fantasy?
The simple answer is yes. I view most idealistic ideologies as fantasy, although that doesn’t prevent people from attempting their versions. I believe that God gave us “Free Will,” and with that responsibility comes a lot of gray areas. When examining the world view from this position we don’t see utopian ideals in existence without some form of government control. Yet it stands to reason that the more government control is permitted, the less “Free Will” has the ability to be practiced.
Margaret Atwood’s totalitarian regime in The Handmaid’s Tale books is largely male-dominated, while yours employs the female Head Gajes. Why this deep betrayal by the female leaders?
The fascinating aspect about the women of Ovoidia is that they don’t believe that they have been betrayed. They understand the world practices that came before them and made the choice to sacrifice that which allows for children to be raised in a safe and protected environment. When I consider how deeply betrayed children can feel by the female leaders (aka mothers) in their own homes, I struggle to accept that a deep betrayal hasn’t already occurred in our society and so many others. To deny the evils all human beings are capable of is a dangerous illusion and an ongoing problematic issue.
The lack of acknowledgment in our society and others already creates an internal divide fueled by deliberate denial about whether or not we can trust our own perceptions. Too many people prefer the safe illusion of denial by refusing to hold others accountable for their actions. This pattern of behavior leads to dangerous dysfunction, especially within the family system, a place where familiarity breeds comfort regardless of how we truly feel. To suggest that women are inherently good or that only men are capable of diabolical action is a false and ignorant position to maintain, the consequences of which have yet to unfold and be seen.
How could a utopia like Ovoidia exist? What would it truly take for women to sacrifice their bodies for the good of society?
The truth is that a world like Ovoidia already exists. Aspects of that fictional society have infiltrated throughout the world as well as into our own country. So many freedoms are denied to different types of women from varied backgrounds, cultures, creeds, and religions.
Life has been unfair and indeed there is so much that is still to be uncovered and exposed. As a writer and an artist I’m interested in the devastating psychological effects of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. I have chosen to explore what women are capable of, both the extraordinary feats as well as the unfathomable atrocities.
“I have chosen to explore what women are capable of, both the extraordinary feats as well as the unfathomable atrocities.”
Lindsay lees
As human beings we all have a potential and an unexplored “shadow side.” It is unlikely that anyone will ever fully comprehend what the underbelly of this darker place contains within a population of women who have spent some part of their lives experiencing physical, psychological, sexual, and emotional abuse, sometimes blatant and sometimes subtle, but always real.
Yet we live in a time when right now, today, arguably millions of women are impacted by sexual slavery, literal and otherwise, yet almost no one is aware and those that do know often turn a blind eye to the realities of just exactly how perverse the issue has become.
How did you become invested in the topics of human trafficking and sexual exploitation?
Initially my investment in human trafficking began during the wars in Iraq and the purveyance of the Islamic State. The condoned brutality of what happened to the Yazidi women was utterly horrifying. Then to subsequently discover that people like Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell exist and pervade and are supported by the upper echelons of our society without any recognition or vilification in the media only exacerbates the issue. Shining a light on the fact that this issue is real and for some reason shielded by our media seems timely and essential.
Is sex trafficking an unavoidable part of human existence? It has been with us forever. Can it be stamped out?
As long as the global media continues to protect those who ardently practice and profit from its existence, then, no. I don’t imagine it will go anywhere soon. But that shouldn’t prevent the voices of a few to impact the powerful and effect great change, something we are witnessing more often.
Is The Willing the start of a possible series?
There is a potential but no plans at this moment. The readers will have to reach the end of the story and come to a determination of their own.
Is The Willing filed under feminist literature? Or are you aiming for a mainstream audience?
I would say yes, but with the caveat that the ideological concept of feminism is loosely defined. I clearly don’t believe that all women are inherently good, and I certainly don’t buy into the illusion that if women ruled, that life would be peaceful and harmonious. So while the story will appeal to feminists I hope that it also raises awareness and creates more of a realistic view on feminism rather than the purely ideological one.