How a Christian School Kid in Indiana Saw the Fall of Democracies Coming

Jun 11, 2025

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This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Chrissy Stroop, a scholar, writer, and all-around truth-teller. Chrissy is a leading voice in exposing the Christian nationalist movement, the exvangelical uprising, and the growing marriage between the American and Russian far-right. She also happens to be a trans woman with a PhD in Russian history and a wild journey that took her from a fundamentalist Christian school in Indiana to teaching in Moscow.

Chrissy and Andrea go way back to the early days of calling out Trump’s ties to Russia when doing so earned us hit pieces, smears, and even being called CIA agents or Russian spies, depending on who was yelling. In this episode, we dig into everything: Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws (and why Trump proudly ignored the global boycott to host Miss Universe there in 2013), the dismantling of American public education, and why Christian nationalism is not just a domestic threat; it’s a global movement.

Chrissy breaks down how the Christian Right has long operated its own post-truth disinformation ecosystem and how the fear of hell was used as an emotional bludgeon to control kids like her, until her queer awakening in Russia at age 33. She’s living proof that you can deconstruct the indoctrination, with a little help of Ranger Rick, and build a life outside of it. From pledges to the Bible and the American flag to Putin’s regime and America’s culture wars, Chrissy’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, resistance, and reclaiming truth.

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