Trapped By Homeschooling: Chris’ Story

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Wokandapix. Trigger Warning: Discussions of emotional abuse, and descriptions of suicide and suicidal ideation. Some stories here have recounted the experiences of people who were abused by sadistic parents or brought up in a cult. My own homeschooling narrative is much less severe. There was never any physical or sexual abuse. Religion was not used as a tool

Prisoner of Patriarchal Presbyterian Pedagogy: Alia’s Story

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Bilder_meines_Lebens. HA note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Alia” is a pseudonym. I grew up in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. It was a small denomination, and I hope it’s getting smaller. In the RPCNA, only preachers and elders could be part of the governing body of the church: and

Sexism and Homeschooling: Maya’s Story

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Animus Photograpy. Trigger warning: Detailed descriptions of abuse. HA note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Maya” is a pseudonym. I don’t even know how to begin to explain myself. Here I am sitting in the place I am forced by income and circumstance to live in (my parents’ home) outing myself

One Ticket to the Gray Havens, Please: Marais’s Story

  CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Animus Photograpy. HA note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Marais” is a pseudonym. My pseudonym is Marais. I am 17 years old. This is what happened to me when I was 12-14. I was part of a not-very-well-known homeschool group called Regina Coeli that was part of a bigger religious

Sexism and Homeschooling: Ella’s Story

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Animus Photograpy. HA note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Ella” is a pseudonym. On the surface, patriarchy and sexism did not impact my childhood as drastically as many of my homeschooled peers. My parents encouraged higher education and my mother believed that women should be able to support themselves. I was

Sexism & Homeschooling: A Call For Stories

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Animus Photograpy. By Shade Ardent, HA Editorial Team ‘A woman’s place is in the home’ ‘We were created to be his helpmeet.’ ‘You will stay at home under my authority until I hand you over to your husband.’ ‘You need to be more submissive.’ ‘There’s no need for college.’ ‘Courtship not dating is what’s right

What Black History?- Giselle’s Story

The whitewashing of struggle influenced me in ways I wouldn’t and couldn’t understand until decades later.

I Want To Be Like You: Kaden’s Story

“When I’m big I want to be a boy like you”

My four year old self thought I was giving my cousin a complement. However he saw otherwise; I was beaten, called “faggot”, then pushed down the stairs. That complete rejection from a family member was enough to scare me into submission for the rest of my childhood.

Mirror Blindness: Alex’s Story

I don’t know when I started trying to ignore everything about myself.

It must have been early in my childhood, but the further I look back, the blurrier the memories get.

I’m Alex, and I spent twenty years being raised in a radical Roman Catholic homeschool community.

Trans In Hiding: Lyle’s Story

“Do you want to go to counselling?” my mom asked.

She asked this after she and my dad had spent at least two hours interrogating me on my faith, the most terrifying conversation I’d ever had. At seventeen, I’d tried my best to explain my own agnosticism through tears, saying how I never truly believed what they did. I hadn’t come out as trans, but coming out as non-Christian alone proved to be terrifying.