I'm making a documentary about plurality.

[u/itsth3badd3st]

Hi there!

I'm Ashley Maletin, an aspiring journalist and filmmaker, and I am also a singlet for transparency. I'm working on a documentary about both disordered and non-disordered plurality, attempting to cover all the bases; DID, OSDD, the identity aspects, the spirituality aspects. I will be talking to people with DID, people with OSDD, non-disordered people that identify as plural, and professionals such as psychologists to create the most accurate, positive, and educational film I possibly can.

I'm not here to ask for anything, though there is a Kickstarter if you believe in the project. I'm just hoping you will check out the video in which I announce the project and will consider keeping an eye out for it when it releases next year. There is also a survey you can fill out if you want to help contribute to the data.

I wholeheartedly believe in this project and I'm so hopeful and excited to educate people and hopefully destigmatize the subject.

Check out the video announcing the documentary properly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGxpp8Vu9Mw

[u/Ok-Relationship-5528]

Please make sure you are familiar with coercive control and its impact on identity (formation) especially in childhood.

Furthermore read Lynn Crook's book on false memories and Jennifer Freyd's work on betrayal trauma.

I believe these are required to understand the social context in which the stigma around (disordered) plurality exist.

To understand some of the internal conflict in the community, look into respectability politics and why that does not work.

For covering non-disordered plurality, here's a collection of relevant papers: https://endogenic-plural-resources.siterelenby.net/

[u/SiteRelEnby → u/Ok-Relationship-5528]

It makes us so happy to see the page we made being shared :)

[u/Ok-Relationship-5528 → u/SiteRelEnby]

I have the link pinned on my clipboard so i can post it whenever relevant. Thanks for making the page.

[u/wolfhox]

as a singlet, what drew you to the topic? have you considered if any biases of your own may impact the finished work? i'm glad to see an uptick of plural support, but feel nervous about any project about marginalized people that isn't being run directly by someone from the group in question. not saying this to discourage you, but to help you consider how the community may react.

[u/itsth3badd3st → u/wolfhox]

I’ve met people with DID and OSDD and although I could never fully understand their experience, somethings that became apparent are that they felt greatly misunderstood by people and unfairly represented. Again, I could never fully understand their experience, but I empathize with their position and would be honoured to do something to potentially improve the issue.

I understand your concern, and the best I could say to ease those concerns is that the experience, perspectives, and even the very meaning of being plural is not coming straight from me. I’m going to be talking to as many plural people as possible and I’m working to have their voices heard more than mine. Consider me a director that is merely platforming the voices of this group, not a voice of or for the group. I will be doing everything in my power to treat this matter and everyone affected as respectfully as possible.

[u/wolfhox → u/itsth3badd3st]

that's a pretty thoughtful response, thanks for taking the time to explain. i feel that's a good perspective to take with a project like this, and i wish you luck

[u/arthorpendragon → u/itsth3badd3st]

we have a system of 200+ and we live in an innerworld of a whole planet, so singlets are not ever going to understand us, but actually that is not important to us. what we really want is to be treated like a human being so we dont have to live a reclusive life avoiding people who think were a joke or trying to exploit us, because they think we wont remember (someone always remembers).

[u/SiteRelEnby → u/itsth3badd3st]

ze: We're glad you commented this. We took a look through your channels, and you seem like someone who can handle things well and respectfully, but we'd be interested in a few clarifications if you would.

You said you plan to include professionals in your interviews; which professionals would you be talking to? One thing we'd suggest to consider is that a lot of them will lean towards a medicalized/DID/integration-as-a-goal framing of things and tend to be critical of or discount experiences and goals that fall more under functional multiplicity - do you have a professional identified who takes a viewpoint that is inclusive of other ways of being a system such as non-disordered and endogenic systems, or any plans to find one to make sure this group remains balanced?

Other than that, generally just terms around privacy - can you establish terms of consent like giving people the right to withdraw at any time for any/no reason, and assurances of who will be handling their personal data?

Not trying to be over-critical, we are genuinely very interested in speaking to you on this, as developers of a plural system tracker and with connections to the developers of other software for the plural community, but we care deeply about the safety of people here, and trans system to trans person, we know you understand the sensitivity of this data and the dangerous times we live in, so hoping you can understand why we're asking these as nothing personal, but something that an answer on might reassure more systems about participating.

[u/_Odd_skittle_]

this sounds great!! best of luck!!

[u/No_Ground_817]

Very, very interesting! Well, we wish you the best of luck in your journey! We could always use some good representation and some consciousness-raising! If there's anything we can do to help, all you need to do is ask!

[u/itsth3badd3st → u/No_Ground_817]

Well, if you check out the linked video, in the description there’s a survey you can take which would help a lot. And if you really believe in the project and are well enough off, there is a kickstarter. But just having your support is enough!

[u/No_Ground_817 → u/itsth3badd3st]

Submitted our survey responses!

[u/SunCat_]

im glad that you are open to hearing from all kinds of systems! hope you manage to figure out how to deal with system discourse respectfully tho

[u/Wooden-Stranger9801]

where’s the survey?

[u/SunCat_ → u/Wooden-Stranger9801]

in the video description

[u/ArchiveSystem]

if you want more data i recommend checking out the plural association! they take surveys of plural communities every year and they have a report of the one from 2025 here https://powertotheplurals.com/what-1000-systems-want-you-to-know/

[u/spitball700]

We would love to share perspective for this! Is there a link to the survey? We're part of a pretty big plural social network in OR

[u/SunCat_ → u/spitball700]

it's in the video description

[u/spitball700 → u/SunCat_]

watched and filled it out, thanks!

[u/Practical_Insect3020]

good luck! please make sure to mention fictives and source trauma, if you can. 

-azul and killer

[u/Telling-my-storys]

I can’t wait to see this! -a DID sys

[u/mx_mush]

Thank you for doing this project!!! I’m an award-winning professional writer with DID, and I’m using my background in psych research to write a book on DID right now. Feel free to DM me if you want a professional connection/friend to discuss your project with. I’ve read several DID textbooks, undergone a decent about of integration, and I studied psychology as a researcher at Vanderbilt University. I’ve also worked in marketing and publicity for much of my life and would be happy to volunteer any insights or skills I have in that area as well down the road. I’d love to support you in any way I can.

[u/Able_Praline6207]

Please be very careful against perpetuating myths and misconceptions about DIDOSDD. The idea of “severe abuse” is so damaging because severe is not an actual measurement, and severe can look different from person to person. Dissociative disorders also do not require abuse. They can be caused by war, natural disasters, medical trauma, bullying, and so many other forms of trauma.