Why Joshua Bassett Should be Hailed as a Hero
Joshua Bassett, teen superstar extraordinare, has just come forward with very personal information and shed some much-needed light on one of the most taboo subjects in the US, the vocalization and de-stigmatization of childhood sexual abuse. While the largest percentage of childhood sexual abuse victims don’t “come out” until much later in life, at twenty years old, Joshua has bucked the system. He has recently gone public with stories of his childhood and adolescent sexual abuse.
An extremely talented musician and actor, most heralded for his role in the popular Disney series “High School Musical,” Joshua grew up as a child in a devout Christian family, a homeschooled boy with five sisters who spent all of his extracurricular time performing in lead roles in the weirdly strange, cult-like world of the nationwide theater company, Christian Youth Theater. Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is currently embroiled in on-going investigations of numerous allegations of long-term sexual abuse by leaders, cover-ups of the behavior, as well as an onslaught of accusations of long-term homophobia, nepotism, and mental abuse. When one gently raps on the CYT door, one is assaulted with horrible stories from across the nation of unbelievable tragedies involving numerous child victims. Not only does the organization still exist and operate with unlimited access to children, but it is still actively producing shows across the nation, even at the San Diego Headquarters where court battles are on-going.
It was easy to spot Joshua at an early age, as he was heralded (rightly so) as one of the greatest talents that had ever graced the stages of CYT. Dashingly handsome, charismatic, intelligent enough to memorize pages and pages of lines at a very young age, musically talented, and rhythmically gifted in dance, Joshua excelled early on and was highly sought after by directors and choreographers (usually CYT Alumni themselves), especially as young male talent can be difficult to come by in the world of musical theater. If something went sideways during a show (one of the worst disasters that can happen), Joshua was a rare find — he could always be relied on to steer the show right back into perfection, often completely stealing the show in the process. Full transparency, I knew Joshua and his family personally, and my children were in numerous theater productions with him. My son (much younger than Joshua) looked up to him and was often looked after by him, with Joshua always checking in on him backstage and even helping him with his auditions. I particularly remember one of Joshua’s auditions that he had not even remotely prepared for. He pulled a song out of his back pocket and sang so beautifully and with such feeling that it brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps. My young daughter was sitting next to me, and I leaned over to her whispering, “mark my words, that boy will be a star.” I will never forget that experience. He has always had the “It Factor.”
And, oh, what a star Joshua has become. While his character has been debated over the years by those that know him personally, one must feel sympathy for this boy and intelligently arrive at a place of empathetic understanding. Being gifted with talent does not mean one is automatically gifted with the characteristics of maturity and social etiquette, often hashed out on the battlefields of public school playgrounds. If Joshua liked your child, he shined his glorious light on them; if he didn’t, he could make life very difficult for them (much like any child who was considered the very best of any organization). While this sort of behavior is not acceptable, it is understandable. Joshua has publicly struggled with his sexuality over the years. Years of musical theater can wreak havoc on a young boy’s sexual psyche if not properly guided. Boys are often automatically considered gay by outsiders and schoolmates simply for participating, there are scores of boys (and even men) who may not yet have identified exactly where they reside on the spectrum of sexuality, and there can be ample time for exploration. Add in the additional facet of being adored by scores of beautiful girls, and it’s easy to see how the lines of one’s sexual preferences can become quite blurry at a young age.
While Joshua has hit massive stardom over the last few years, he has not been immune to hardship and bad publicity. One only has to Google “Olivia Rodrigo” to immediately be brought up to speed, and what is often left unsaid is how his stardom and public relationships have also been his curse. Joshua is now a 20-year-old young man living alone in an isolated part of the US, spending his time in therapy and writing music, searching for healing. Fans have only recently been made aware of the very depth of his personal issues. In a recent GQ article, Joshua has been forthcoming about his long history of sexual abuse by an older man.
As a victim of long-term childhood sexual abuse myself, I am all too aware of the damage sexual abuse wreaks on one’s mind and one’s life. After working with therapists and survivors over the years, I have learned that after the initial trauma, the trajectory of a victim’s life is almost solely based on the time period when the vocalization about the abuse takes place. Those of us who “come out” much later in life can immediately link the frayed threads of poor choices, addictions, mental health issues, and failed relationships to the suppression of the trauma. While I personally chose forty years of silence as a gift to my late Grandmother, my life suffered because of it. What makes 80% of sexual abuse victims remain quiet? There are many numerous reasons. Coming out about abuse can often be a more difficult process than the memories of the abuse itself, as one fears extreme shame, the risk of losing family or friends and being cast out (very often the case), and not being believed (most often the case). Many times the trauma itself is buried due to the mind’s natural response to protect, and something triggers memories much later. Additionally, there can also be the added guilt of feeling responsible for any other lives that one’s perpetrator may have ruined subsequently.
If I could have a conversation today with Joshua Bassett, 20-year-old famous artist extraordinaire, I would say exactly this:
“Bravo, Mr. Bassett.
At the young age of 20, you have proven yourself to be incredibly wise beyond your years. By vocalizing your abuse at such an early age, you are changing your life’s entire trajectory. By being open, you are healing parts of you that you didn’t know needed healing. Most importantly, by using your platform, you are saving countless other teenager’s lives, showing them that it is more than ok to point fingers at their abusers and hold those perpetrators accountable, no matter the fallout after. You are quite literally saving people by throwing them a life raft, and that trumps any questionable behavior or adolescent attitude you may have ever had. Now, old friend, you truly are a superstar. May you continue to surround yourself with what is quite obviously a good team of therapists, may you continue to heal until every wound is sewn up tightly, and may you now have the inner strength equivalent to your talent to finally take over this world. Freedom is such a gift, and I am here giving you a standing ovation for claiming yours.
Thank you, Joshua.”
Scotti Taylor
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