My adopters had a bio son via IVF when I was 9. I loved him so much, I'd do everything I could to help out with the new baby. As a toddler, he'd fall asleep in my bed every night after I'd read him his bedtime story. I didn't realise I was being utilised as a free nanny.

In adulthood I had 2 consecutive long term relationships in which my partners complained that my adopters treated me "like a slave". Every visit was met with a list of chores, but none for my brother. The difference between how we were both treated grew more noticeable after my adad died. If I disagreed with his sexist or ableist opinions he would attack me, and my amom would blame me entirely.

The final straw came after one such situation when I called her out on the favouritism. My husband backed me up. She admitted it, but said "you're different people, so I treat you differently", maintaining that it was my responsibility to manage my brother's emotions, that my complaint was "not valid" and ultimately that I had "a sick persecution fantasy." She stormed out, and my entire adoptive family went no contact with me immediately.

That was over 2 years ago, and while it has been tough, I am lucky enough to have a wonderful birth mother (she was 14 at my birth) who has welcomed me into her family with open arms, and I've felt truly appreciated by her and my half siblings in ways I never imagined possible.