Real Life - Mamamia

An ode to 'Other Mothers', because for some of us, it wasn’t our mothers who raised us.

'Last Mother's Day, I was about to call my mum. Then my dad phoned.'

'My husband and I met in addiction recovery. After 8 years together, I realised he never stopped.'

Tara Blair Ball

"I told my best friend I was sexually assaulted. She said I 'cheated' on my boyfriend."

"I wished for a 'normal' name." The unspoken toll of living with an Asian name in Australia.

'The moment I bought my bouquet is the moment I should have cancelled my wedding.'

'My best friend died. Three weeks later, her husband started dating again.'

Jai spent 20 years in and out of homelessness. Here's what she wants you to know.

"My husband cheated on me. Tonight, he's going on TV to talk about it."

A letter to my abuser.

Amanda noticed something unusual about her partner's testicle. It saved his life.

'My friend took his life in lockdown. He was the absolute last person I thought would do this.'

Emmeline Peterson

"I need you to come and get me." The day I cut my abusive mother out of my life.

'I texted my ex-wife to catch up when I was in town for a few days. She never replied.'

Greyson Ferguson

'My husband sexually assaulted me in my sleep for 17 years. One night, I woke up.'

'I eat in my sleep and I don't know why.' For 20 years, Jasmine has been living with parasomnia.

'My husband tried to kidnap my baby girl. No one mentioned it ever again.'

At 17, Lech Blaine was in a car crash that killed his best friends. The rumours started immediately.

'My wedding day was perfect. But a few months into my marriage, I wanted to cheat.'

'I lost one of my best friends because I wouldn't have sex with her.'

'In Grade 9, I met a boy who would go on to abuse me for five years. I thought it was love.'

Vanessa Haldane

"You’re so strong, you’ll be fine." After my miscarriage, people’s reactions stunned me.

"I just raped you, didn't I?" I said no to sex. My boyfriend ignored me.

'I lost my dad to COVID-19 a year ago today. His death taught me 5 important lessons.'

A year before their wedding, Ollie and Zoe decided to have sex with other people. It was a disaster.

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Anais had no idea she was a twin. Then she saw an actress on TV who looked identical to her.

10 years ago, I was sexually assaulted by a co-worker. She was a woman.

Advice

'I've spent 30 years not knowing how to dress. Here's what I learnt when I asked for help.'

"Don't do what I did: 10 terrible mistakes I made in my 20s."

Jessica Wildfire

"Run the dishwasher twice." The life advice to follow when you're at your lowest.

Jessie Stephens

The 5 commandments of improving your skin while you sleep.

Is it normal to have spotting during pregnancy? 9 red flags you should never ever ignore.

"People are not mind readers." 21 lessons everyone should learn before their 40th birthday.

"There is continuous deliberate hurt." 5 telltale signs that your relationship is over.

"Don't buy silk." 20 lessons everyone should learn before their 30th birthday.

Jessie Stephens

"Non Zero Days: The piece of self-care advice that changed how I live my life."

Jessie Stephens

"Don’t get a loan for a boob job," and 30 other lessons I've learnt since turning 31.

'Making jokes at your partner’s expense.' 4 tiny mistakes that will destroy your relationship.

"Live with them first." 21 women share what they wish they knew before getting married.

"My life at 38 looks so different to my life at 30. Here's what I'd tell my younger self."

Kristen Sharkie

"You’re worth more than you know." The 29 things I'd tell my 20-something self.

Jessica Wildfire

"Less is definitely more": 40 women over 40 share the beauty advice they swear by.

Tamara Davis and Amy Clark

"Moments of silence feel awkward." The 10 signs you're with the wrong person.

'My husband and I found provocative photos of our 14-year-old. Our reactions were poles apart.'

Constance Hall: "Too short, too fat, too loud." I spent my whole life being told I wasn't enough.

"Do yourself a favour": I'm a mum of 4, and I can tell you what smug parenting advice to ignore.

"Ask them out." Women over 30 share their advice for women in their 20s.

Billi Fitzsimons

From homelessness to heartbreak: The surprising life of Kyle Sandilands.

Billi Fitzsimons

A year before their wedding, Ollie and Zoe decided to have sex with other people. It was a disaster.

'My son saw me and was surprised': The moment Tanya Plibersek knew she couldn't become Opposition Leader.

The day Aminata was kidnapped.

LGBTQI

"It saves lives." Three women on what Mardi Gras means to them.

"Respect our pronouns": 10 ways to be a better ally to non-binary and trans people.

'Gender conversion 'therapy' is a public health crisis. I know this because I lived it.'

'I knew I was a woman from the age of 7. I didn't start living as one until I was 46.'

Victoria is about to pass "the world's most significant achievement" on gay conversion.

The 6 biggest myths about lesbian sex we all need to stop believing. Like, right now.

Lacey-Jade Christie

"I was so ashamed of my feelings." Why Netflix's The Prom is the film I needed growing up.

"We wanted to become mums and our journey to parenthood was a little different to most."

"A new kind of conversion therapy." Why everyone is talking about J.K.Rowling... again.

'Sara Hegazy was jailed and tortured for a photo. It could have been me.'

'If there's one thing to learn from the Wilson Gavin tragedy, it's tolerance. On all sides.'

"Completely terrifying": When Magda Szubanski realised she was gay, she broke down.

'I'm intersex. It was a secret my parents kept from me for 17 years.'

Narelda Jacobs was pushed into her first marriage. 20 years later, she had to fight for the right to a second.

'We need to talk about the fear that every gay man of this generation still carries.'

The love of Elizabeth Gilbert's life died 10 months ago. But she still calls her every day.

At last. Schools will no longer be able to expel kids for being LGBTQI.

A former Sesame Street writer has shared the truth about Bert and Ernie.

Chelsea McLaughlin

Wren and Ayla's story: When your wife is trans.

WEDDING OF THE WEEK: Why Sarah and Megan couldn't wait for the yes vote to have their big day.

"We live with his guilt." Melissa's son made a choice that cost 5 lives, including his own.

Megan Gale miscarried at 9 weeks. Lying there waiting for her procedure, she was recognised.

'After my stillbirth, I requested time off work. It was declined.'

'I spend my days handling dead people. This is what it's taught me about living.'

Emma Jane Holmes

Exactly ten years on, Brittany Murphy's mysterious death is still haunting Hollywood.

"You're grieving someone that you didn't even get to see": Heather Maltman on the heartbreak of miscarriage.

"I've never been loved like that before." Robin Bailey on life after Sean Pickwell's death.

"It still hurts." Libby Trickett on the 'weird grief' of early pregnancy loss.

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The moment my bubble burst: How COVID ended my immigrant life in Australia.

Emilie Lefebvre

'I was 21, in my first year teaching PE when a male teacher cornered me in the staff room.'

'I went through a messy divorce. Here are 10 things I wish I'd known.'

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'I was spending Valentine's Day with my wife when I realised our marriage was over.'

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Berated and beaten: At 66, Steve still lives with the scars of his cruel, abusive mother.

"Talent is overrated." 21 things you can't possibly know in your 20s.

'As a child, I was deemed lazy and disorganised. Years later, I was diagnosed with ADHD.'

'As a teenager, I was the girl everyone thought was going to die. It taught me 7 lessons.'

"You know who really counts." The 7 unexpected things I love about being in my 40s.

'I was watching a movie with my kids when I realised I'd never be enough for my husband.'

'My sister died. Now I don't know how to be around her two kids.'

'My friends came home from Europe with incredible stories. I came home with a harrowing one.'

'To the man who used to jerk off in the window across from mine.'

"It was my dirty secret." While I was married, I fell in love with a man I met at work.

"I'm not cold-hearted." What life is like when you're asexual and aromantic.

'I was a victim of narcissistic emotional abuse. It took me 12 years to recognise it.'

The 16 things I wish my husband's therapist would tell him.

Lori Welch Brown

'I was semi-estranged from my dad when he died. The guilt almost destroyed me.'

"My husband cheated on me. I know I drove him to it."

'I was forced into a sex act. When I told a friend she said: "But that's not sexual assault..."'

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Before The Bump