Episodes
Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises! I had the privilege of speaking with Kara and Alesia from Right to Know about all of the amazing work they do for the MPE, DCP, and adoptee communities.
The DNA Surprise community is very familiar with shame and stigma. This week’s episode tackles a taboo subject. Shardae took her DNA test for the same reason many Americans do – out of curiosity about her family’s indigenous ties. What she uncovered is that her birth certificate father is not her biological father – she is the product of a one-time encounter between her mother and her mother’s first cousin. Shardae talks about how she’s navigating this information and processing the stigma around her origin story.
DNA Surprises aren’t limited to NPEs. In this week’s episode, Debbie shares how she always knew she was adopted, and later learned her biological father was dead. Little did she know that a consumer DNA test would change everything. Debbie shares what’s been helpful to her throughout her journey and how she’s used her own experience to help others.
NPEs come from all backgrounds, but all too often, the stories we hear involve childhood abuse. In this week’s episode, Bianca shares her difficult journey to finding out that she is an NPE. First, a content warning: Bianca’s story includes discussion of drug use, rape, and abuse, and is not suitable for all listeners.
One of the most interesting things about the DNA surprise community is how much intersection there is between adoptees, donor-conceived people, and NPEs. In this week’s episode, Hayley, who was one of the first people conceived through IVF in the UK, shares her NPE story. While she knew from a young age that she was conceived through IVF, it wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she learned her raised father is not her genetic parent. As a DCP, Hayley has a unique perspective as she embarked on her own parenting journey with her wife. She shares how being donor-conceived affects how she discusses the topic with her twins and what regulations are and should be in place for DCPs worldwide.
Sometimes DNA surprises reveal that bio fathers are people known to the NPE, however unexpected. In this week’s episode, Devin shares how a DNA test revealed that he is one of more than a dozen children – some of his siblings old enough to be his grandparent. He shares how he’s connected with those siblings, and how his discovery has affected his relationship with his mother.
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