Rashell’s story | “I can say with 100% certainty that my life would have been so much easier had my parents just stuck it out.”

by Them Before Us | Jan 21, 2020 | EXPORT, Stories

My parents were young when they married. They were both 17. My mother was still in high school and pregnant. She graduated but my dad didn’t. He worked in the oilfield in Oklahoma and made great money when times were good. I was their only child. I’m 41...

Moira Greyland’s story | “I was born into a family of famous gay pagan authors in the late Sixties.”

by Them Before Us | Nov 19, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

I was born into a family of famous gay pagan authors in the late Sixties. My mother was Marion Zimmer Bradley, and my father was Walter Breen. Between them, they wrote over 100 books: my mother wrote science fiction and fantasy (Mists of Avalon), and my father wrote...

Vladimir’s story | “There are times when I still struggle with depression, anxiety, and self-hatred. There are also times when I wonder if I have any capacity to love.”

by Them Before Us | Oct 3, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

My father has been married five times. My mother was his second wife. According to my father, I am responsible for the destruction of his third and fourth marriages because “I had not accepted the death of my mother.” I only have one memory of my birth mother. For...

Laura’s story | “I grew up in a world where marriage didn’t mean anything, and nobody stuck around for very long.”

by Them Before Us | Sep 30, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

I was nine years old when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. I was coming home from summer camp. I’d had a horseback-riding accident at camp and fell on my arm. I needed to see a doctor. My parents picked me up together. I told them about my arm, but they...

Julia’s story | “For 20 years I experienced severe emotional pain feeling rejected and unimportant to my parents.”

by Them Before Us | Sep 1, 2019 | EXPORT, Stories

I grew up with an amazing family. My dad is a loving, tender dad and has always been a good provider for his family. My mom was a nurturing, intelligent, and fun-loving stay-at-home mom who gave everything for her kids. I’m glad she was a dedicated mom during our...