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Human Bill of Rights: Reference

Overview

Survivors of childhood trauma are often conditioned to believe that normal human entitlements — saying no, making mistakes, feeling angry, changing their minds — are dangerous or forbidden. Walker's Human Bill of Rights names these entitlements explicitly, providing a reference to consult when the inner critic insists otherwise. Reading these aloud or in writing can help interrupt shame and fawn responses in real time.

Quick Reference

  • These rights belong to you by default — you do not have to earn them
  • Use this list to reality-check guilt when you feel wrong for normal human behavior
  • Key rights often violated in trauma: saying no, making mistakes, feeling anger
  • Rights apply equally to you — not only to others you protect or accommodate
  • Fawn types especially benefit from the rights around refusal, boundaries, and self-interest

Rights by Category

1. Boundaries and Refusal

Survivors frequently struggle with the right to decline — requests, criticism, responsibility for others' problems. These rights name refusal as legitimate.

  • The right to say no without justification
  • The right to reject unsolicited advice or feedback
  • The right to refuse responsibility for another person's problems or bad behavior
  • The right to protest sarcasm, destructive criticism, or unfair treatment

2. Mistakes, Change, and Imperfection

Perfectionism is a trauma survival strategy. These rights challenge the belief that any error or inconsistency is catastrophic.

  • The right to make mistakes — and not be defined by them
  • The right to change your mind, your plans, or your course of action
  • The right to feel ambivalent and to occasionally be inconsistent
  • The right to occasionally be irrational in safe ways

3. Feelings and Inner Life

Childhood environments that punished emotions leave survivors doubting their right to feel. These rights restore ownership of one's inner world.

  • The right to have your own feelings, beliefs, opinions, and preferences
  • The right to feel angry and express it without violence or abuse
  • The right to complain about unfairness and injustice
  • The right to complain and verbally vent in moderation

4. Rest, Play, and Imperfect Productivity

Many survivors develop compulsive productivity as a way to feel safe. These rights name rest and play as legitimate, not lazy.

  • The right to play, waste time, and not always be productive
  • The right to occasionally be childlike or immature
  • The right to seek relationships that are healthy and mutually supportive

5. Support and Growth

Survivors often feel that asking for help is a burden or a weakness. These rights reframe asking as ordinary and appropriate.

  • The right to ask friends for a modicum of help and emotional support
  • The right to grow, evolve, and prosper
  • The right to negotiate for change in relationships and circumstances

Sources