Reply #33: I grew up [View All]

[RainDog]

in the south, in the buckle of the Bible belt, as a Southern Baptist. I was supposed to remain a virgin until I got married. I didn't. I wasn't supposed to "live in sin" with my boyfriend (later husband of 17 yrs.) My dad called me some very nasty names and "disowned" me until my ex and I got married.

This is a large part of the reason that I am hostile toward religion and the south - I think they were hostile to me. It wasn't just my dad, btw. It was the entire church community... church after church after church. My bro. still believes his daughter should remain a virgin until marriage and that living together would be out of the question. I don't see my brother often.

I think this is also why I prefer Europe to the U.S. (and one part of why I married a European, most likely.)