The question
What is the harshest thing anyone has said to you?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A fixed Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Apart from stuff on social media, an ex-partner telling me I’m unlovable.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 July 2025 source ↗
Another actress once said to me, “I’ve told you huge lies to make you feel good about yourself.” I’m not going to say who.
“Everyone hates you.” (My manager, a long time ago.)
“You’re selfish.” It was a friend.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to insult you, but did you know you look a bit like that actress Siobhán McSweeney?”
Cancel culture: getting stuck on the discourse rather than looking at the system.
The Great Gatsby.
Victoria Rose, a British surgeon operating on children in Gaza.
Everybody I’ve lost to suicide. When someone dies in that tragic way, you always feel you could have done more.
Before transitioning, I had a severe eating disorder. The doctor said, “Your body’s shutting down and if you don’t improve your mental and physical wellbeing, you’ll die.” Shortly after that, I started transitioning medically and my eating disorder resolved.
Gender-affirming surgery. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not widely available on the NHS and a lot of it you have to pay for yourself.
Frank Bowling, Michelle Collins, Justin Hawkins, Monica Dolan, Chaka Khan, Stockard Channing
Search the directory for somebody in particular.