Actress Ryan Michelle Bathe Opens Up About Her Experience Growing Up With Corporal Punishment

Ryan Michelle Bathe has created her own path when it comes to parenting her two children — and it’s one that doesn’t mirror her childhood.
In an exclusive essay for PEOPLE in this week’s issue, the St. Louis-raised actress opens up about her younger years, which often included physical punishment.
“When I was growing up, where my culture and religion intersected, corporal punishment was the order of the day,” writes Bathe, 42.
“I have been beaten for sta