commonly asked questions, answered
Our guides help you navigate conversations with friends and family about global affairs.
Here are our top Girl Friday recommendations on how to handle potentially tense and emotional conversations about world events:
Approach the conversation with an abundance of compassion. Someone might appear stubborn or even uncharacteristically silent about an issue because of their own experiences that are related to the topic you are discussing.
Have the courage to state your thoughts and make sure to differentiate between your opinions and proven facts because every day, we see untrue, unverified social media content about world events posted as truths. We believe it is also incredibly courageous to acknowledge when a conversation has become too overwhelming to continue in a productive and loving way.
Engage in the conversation with a genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn. Even if you hold a completely different opinion, if you listen with an open heart and mind, you may find common ground or an opening to correct misinformation.