How Bigfoot Can Help Us Heal From a Contentious Election

But Ranae is unique in the world of Bigfoot searchers, she doesn’t believe the animal is real. Holland has a background as a field biologist and believes there is no proof of Sasquatch. She plays the role of the skeptical scientist on the show.

“I love Bigfoot stories. I am curious so even though I don’t believe it’s real I love the idea of it,” says Holland.

Holland says her favorite part of hosting the show is the connection that she can make with the people who claim to have seen Bigfoot. But these are delicate conversations for her. She doesn’t want to dismiss the person’s experience but needs stay true to her scientific knowledge. She says she is just trying to understand what happened to them.

“They had this experience and then here I come strolling in and because I have some type of degree or something, or because I’m on a TV show, I get to tell you what happened to you,” says Holland. “Absolutely not.”

Ranae wants to be an example of how people who fundamentally disagree on facts, like the existence of a hairy mountain dweller, can show empathy and compassion to one another. She says the lack of these types of conversations is why we’ve become so polarized and has set the stage for the vitriol that has run rampant through our culture.

Is anybody thinking of our contentious presidential election yet?

Ranae Holland has. Finding Bigfoot began filming in 2010, Ranae has traveled a lot through rural America since then and she says it was a real wake up call. She was able to see the anger and feelings of being marginalized outside major cities.