No Capes Required
Speaking on the theme Identity at Speaker Slam® in Toronto on Jul 21, 2026, Adrian Leckie delivered “No Capes Required” and won first place.
Transcript
I was 7 years old, sitting on an old burgundy couch, watching Superman. I imagined myself flying above the skies of Metropolis with the strength and courage of Superman. But two loud voices interrupted this dream. My parents were fighting in the bedroom. So I turned off the sound on the TV and ran to the door. Should I shout? I tried to scream, but nothing came out. So I went out onto the balcony and stood there, scared, ashamed, and powerless. Why couldn't I be as brave as Superman?
He always saved the situation, and I couldn't say a word. When my parents left, I pretended not to hear anything. Instead, like the TV, I was left without sound. A few years later, my parents divorced. But I remained silent. By the time I graduated from university, I had become the school clown. I was an artist. But deep down inside, there was still that scared 7-year-old boy who wanted to speak out. But the fear of rejection, the fear of being judged, seeped into everything.
And it got even worse when I found out why my parents divorced. When I was 23, my mother told me that my father had a child with another woman during their marriage. And what I heard made me angry. How could he do this to my mother? And how could he do this to me? But I couldn't say anything. You see, you didn't live with us, but I still maintained a relationship with him. I didn't want to destroy them. So I kept quiet.
But it slowly began to eat me up from the inside. A couple of months later, my dad and I helped my mom move out of her old apartment while she was at work. And there were boxes everywhere. Signed and sealed. And I was so jealous of these boxes. Because each of them could move on. They could be opened, unpacked, and left this place, while my truth remained sealed. I looked at that old balcony. And I saw a 7-year-old version of myself.
That boy and I—we both waited for the power of Superman to become brave and fearless. We were waiting for Wonder Woman's lasso to pull the truth out of us, instead of having it stuck in our throats. But the silence I used to protect myself became my kryptonite. Every unspoken word made me feel weak. I decided: enough. So I looked at my dad. I took a deep breath and said, " Dad, I need to talk to you." The world froze. But years of emotions and unspoken words began to escape my lips.
It was shaky. It was, it was, it was scary, but also loud. And I said, “Dad, I’m so angry. You cheated on my mother. She did n't deserve this. And I did n't deserve to grow up without the relationship I needed with you. And you hid it from me. "I want to hear an apology." At that moment, I saw how those words had achieved their goal. And I was met not with a defensive reaction, but with vulnerability. He shared his regret.
He shared the guilt he carried within himself. And he said he sincerely regrets the pain he caused. At that moment, I felt freedom. It was as if I was soaring above the skies of Metropolis, like in a child's fantasy, but not because he apologized. And because I finally spoke out loud. I was finally able to throw off the mask of secrecy and stand up for my truth. I was finally able to become the hero that boy was waiting for. It was because of this new strength that I was able to apologize and forgive my father.
It was because of this newfound courage that I was able to confidently take steps and share my truth, no matter how scary it was. So I ask you: what is your story? Where in your life do you need to be brave? Because your self-deprecation is your kryptonite. But standing up for your truth is your superpower. So be strong, be courageous, and remember: you are the hero you've been waiting for.
Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.