Film Review: The 13th Step Film, Directed by Monica Richardson……
Q: “Bill, what do you do after you finish Step 12?”
I found The 13th Step Film broader in scope and far more visually appealing and truly watchable than I would have hoped in a documentary on topic that quite honesty does trigger my PTSD issues. Indeed, its cinematography and a compelling soundtrack helped me forget how very painful my AA memories can be at times.
I had something of a preconception of the film because I’m part of a growing community that hedges on what to call itself — some prefer the more moderate seeming “Pro Recovery” or refuse to take a label at all, while others, such as myself, grab hold with both hands and loudly say, “I’m Anti-AA.”
I knew from the title that it was going to discuss the endemic sexual exploitation that is a part of AA culture, where Old Timers are sexual predators of Newcomers, and yet somehow this ends up still being the fault of the Newcomers within AA culture. AA says that if only the Newcomers had been paying attention they would have noticed that most of the men are predators…. but somehow still spiritual…..??????
The film did cover the topic of sexual exploitation and gave some horrific specific examples, as well as a general overview of the practice. Note AA members, themselves, came up with the term as a kind of insider joke. “Har har har” Q: “What do you do, Bill, after you finish the 12 Steps?” A: “Take Step 13,” which means saying and doing whatever it takes to get a newer member in bed…. “har har har.”
Part of the insider joke is that for those that don’t know Bill Wilson, the founder of AA, was a chronic 13th Stepper and according to his biographers had to be watched at all times to keep him from trying to seduce the “wrong” Newcomer woman. Funny….not funny…. I go for not funny…. but that is AA humor for you.
It should be noted that Bill’s wife, Lois, helped found Al-Anon, a group that teaches that it isn’t what your spouse does that causes you pain, but how you react to it. So the problem, according to AA ideology, was never that Bill 13th Stepped anyone. Indeed, the problem didn’t even exist unless someone thought there was a problem. This idea can make sense if you have gone without sleep for several days and are strung out on coffee, which is an introduction to an AA slogan not really discussed in Richardson’s film, “Resentment is the number 1 offender.” In short, this slogan means that Lois would have been “sick” if she had RESENTED Bill’s infidelity, which helps to explain why they didn’t divorce, and also why predation is such a part of 12 Step culture today.
For those that don’t know, it would also seem that many active AA do RESENT Monica’s film, regardless of the contradiction, and that actually is something that I find sort of funny.
But the film does both more than just discuss the 13th Step. The 13th Step film gives a very solid overview of the major complaints of former members and critics within the therapeutic community, and also mentions and surveys a few of the 10 major alternatives to 12 Step.
Just because the Pro Recovery culture is still evolving, the film didn’t cover the two newest free groups, Reddit and Addicts2athletes. Thus, while this is a perfect film in and of itself, I’m still hoping to see more films in the future that expose the dangers and lies of 12-Step culture and practice…. perhaps especially one that looks at the logic of why, according to AA, it is more of an error to be upset about an injury than to injure someone else, what might be considered Lois’ perspective on the 13th Step.
I’m also including as my own closing thought, 10 Major Alternatives to AA (circa 2016)
(includes men for sobriety)
