Before my ex and before pride became the laughing stock and look at me fish bowl that is is now, I didn't mind pride at all. Way back when it was simply people wearing rainbow stuff and walking together. It was pretty tame in comparison to what it is now... I had friends who were LGBT and who were healthy... Who had healthy relationships and didn't shove anything in your face or scream for validation or acceptance. This was way before the extra letters. When "T," was so very rare it wasn't talked about much. I supported my friends. Now? My ex, and the rest of the people who hold the same concepts, ruined all of it for me. I don't like rainbows anymore. Anytime I see a pride flag I want to puke. Pride is a constant reminder that some abusive jerk is shoving their transgenderness down my and my daughter's throat. It's a reminder that I have to be so careful about talking about him and that if I don't use the correct female pronouns, even if he isn't around, it makes me some giant transphobe to some people. That the abuse sits on the back burner because oh he's so brave for coming out, he's so awesome for the strife he has faced... What a load of crap. Dude kept me locked up for over two years... And he's being praised!? What's up with this world right now? I don't even really want to talk to any of my LGBT friends anymore because it's too much of a reminder.
 

Hello everyone,
I left an abusive relationship of six years about a year ago. We had a child together who is now two. I am not sure if I need to state a trigger warning... But yeah...

When I met my abuser I had a house, a car, my own bank account, a decent job and I wasn't even looking for a relationship. I lost all of this in the first two years of our relationship. How? Oh, manipulation and lies. Further explanation would require me to write a book full...

He was financially, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. I highly believe that he is an undiagnosed narcissist. He kept me prisoner, yes literally, in our home for two years. When I became pregnant he screamed at me that I was going to have an abortion. You see he had lied about his two children he already had. He told me that one of them wasn't his, this child is now seven and they have never met. He told me the other was in a different country and the mother cut off ties from him. Sure, part of that is true but she never cut ties with him, that child is now ten and he hasn't seen him since he was a year and a half old.

He never wanted to be a father. So, he spent the next few days demanding that I call an abortion clinic. I finally did just to get him to stop screaming at me. After I told him the price, I told him that I could leave. I was giving him and "out." I told him our child didn't have to carry his name, didn't have to have his name on their birth certificate, I could leave with our child and he would never have to hear a word from me again. He actually thought about it then stated some crap about the morals I had taught him wouldn't allow him to do that. No, that wasn't it. He didn't want to be alone again. This man had never been alone.

I had no idea that while he had started dating me his long term off and on partner was giving birth in a different state and was waiting for him to return. The lies upon lies... Sigh. After he said the moral comment he started threatening me. If I left h