Tell Them You Love Me: Where is Anna Stubblefield now?

Tell Them You Love Me explores the contentious relationship between Anna Stubblefield, a former professor at Rutgers University, and Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy. The documentary poses profound themes about love and consent.

Stubblefield's conviction for felony sexual assault and subsequent release after serving 22 months in prison added to her already difficult path. According to Belmont Filmhouse, Anna Stubblefield is now divorced and lives away from the spotlight.

Tell Them You Love Me delves into the nuances of facilitated communication, a practice crucial to Stubblefield and Johnson's relationship that has sparked criticism. The story prompts deeper insight into the intricacies of love, consent, and the problems people with disabilities experience when navigating relationships and communication.

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Who is Anna Stubblefield from Tell Them You Love Me?

A former philosophy professor at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, Stubblefield became entangled in a scandal after her relationship with Johnson was exposed. She was married with two children at the time, and grew up in a facilitated communication (F.C.) environment, which further complicates her story.

Stubblefield's parents were pioneers in special education, with Sandra McClennen being one of the first to use facilitated communication. This approach promises to empower persons with impairments to communicate.

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Tell Them You Love Me: Love or abuse

The documentary focuses on Stubblefield's connection with Derrick Johnson, who is nonverbal and has cerebral palsy. Despite Stubblefield's assertions that their connection was founded on love, charges of abuse by Johnson's family led to a criminal trial in 2015 and a subsequent felony conviction.

Stubblefield and Johnson met in 2009 through Johnson's brother, who was taking one of Stubblefield's seminars at Rutgers. Their friendship grew as they experimented with aided communication, eventually leading to a physical connection.

Stubblefield collaborated extensively with Johnson over two years, utilizing facilitated conversation to help him articulate himself. Their friendship became stronger, resulting in sexual activities at Stubblefield's office on the Rutgers campus.

Tell Them You Love Me (Image via Netflix)

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The public revelation and legal proceedings

In 2011, Stubblefield and Johnson confessed their love relationship to Johnson's family, resulting in allegations and legal action. Despite Stubblefield's assertion that their connection was consensual, Johnson's family attacked her, with allegations of rape reverberating through court testimony.

During the trial, Johnson's brother testified against Stubblefield, alleging that she raped Johnson. But Stubblefield stated that their connection was consensual, implying that Johnson could express refuse through aided communication.

Stubblefield's conviction for aggravated sexual assault in 2016 resulted in a 12-year jail sentence; however, her conviction was reversed in 2017. Stubblefield then entered a plea agreement, resulting in her release from jail after serving time.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Impairments have condemned facilitated communication as a discredited approach. They emphasized its potential to undermine people's voices and autonomy with impairments.

Tell Them You Love Me (Image via Netflix)

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Despite her guilty plea, Stubblefield maintains her innocence and claims she has not committed a crime. The documentary invites viewers to consider the complexity of love and consent.