The speaker is a young woman of South Asian descent growing up in a diaspora community in Canada. She processes the lasting impacts of early childhood trauma and emotionally distant parenting. She constantly faces strict cultural expectations that demand women remain quiet and submissive. She utilizes her voice to examine her feelings, seeking to replace internalized shame with self-respect.

The father is an immigrant who left his home country to avoid imprisonment or death. He maintains an emotionally absent presence in his daughter's life, enforcing strict silence in his household. He frequently conflates anger with affection, creating a volatile environment, yet he also expresses reverence for a woman's biological ability to give birth.

The mother is a South Asian immigrant raising her daughter in a foreign country. She exhibits highly submissive behavior in her marriage, deliberately making herself small to appease her husband. At the same time, she advises her daughter to expect more out of life and seek a partner who treats her well.

A man who becomes the speaker's first significant romantic partner. He initially appears highly attentive, focusing on her thoughts and emotions before initiating physical intimacy. He warns the speaker early on that he is a difficult person to want, establishing a dynamic where his needs often overshadow hers.

A male relative in the speaker's extended family. He takes advantage of familial trust to sexually abuse the speaker during her childhood. His actions contribute heavily to the speaker's long-term emotional distress and skewed understanding of physical intimacy.

A man the speaker encounters after gaining more independence. He attempts to flatter the speaker by insulting other women and critically points out the speaker's natural body hair. His behavior prompts the speaker to assert her physical boundaries.

A therapeutic professional who treats the speaker during her childhood. He conducts midweek sessions utilizing a therapeutic doll to help the young speaker articulate the abuse she suffered, though the clinical process leaves her feeling numb.