Scandal! Kerry Washington discovered her father is not her biological father late in life

[afeelingunacted]

Woke up today sooooooo thankful to my beautiful parents for encouraging me (albeit sometimes reluctantly 🤣) on this journey of self discovery. Our shared truth has allowed us to cultivate more FREEDOM and a deeper love with each other. I am forever changed. And NOW, I’m super… pic.twitter.com/aqGihiryZb
- kerry washington (@kerrywashington)

Comments

[slayer4915]

My stepsister found out earlier this year (in her 50s) that her father wasn’t her bio-dad. Her mom tried to play it off, but DNA doesn’t lie and the truth is she had to know there was at least a chance this other man was the father, but she chose who she wanted it to be and they immediately got married (and soon after divorced). Maybe she didn’t wanna know so never got it tested and ignorance was bliss while she kept it a secret for over 50 years…but then Ancestry.com came along and spilled the tea. 🫖

[warwarwar]

I would not be able to live like that not knowing for sure. But one of by best guy friends mentioned once that he’s not totally sure his older son is his because he knows his wife at the time was cheating. But he doesn’t want to know bc he considers him his son so it doesn’t matter.

I understand why he doesn’t get a dna test because he has no plans of not raising him, but I worry about the son finding out when he’s older that he might not know his real bio dad.

[slayer4915]

It’s so tough, but I feel like these things always come out eventually. And I can’t imagine if it were to come out like after the parents (whether the presumed bio or actual bio) have passed, and you either miss out on that relationship or just getting answers for your own peace of mind. I dunno, it just feels like a disservice to everyone involved to try to keep it secret in this day with actual DNA websites.

I found out at 18 that I had a 12 year old brother. All the adults kept it secret, even though he was conceived after my parents were divorced and my dad was engaged to to the mother at the time. But like, the kid grew up knowing he had older siblings, we were just kept in the dark about him. So dumb.

[archersangel]

Supposedly Ancestry.com & the like have therapists that people can talk to because they're like: "I wonder what percent German/French/Spanish/whatever I am." And then they find out all kinds of stuff they were not prepared for.

[mattay]

Oof yeah that’s rough. Good on HLG Jr for encouraging her parents to tell her. I found out my dad isn’t my bio father in HS and it was awful. My mom had an illicit affair with a coworker over like a decade so to this day I have to keep it a secret (from people she knows) and it’s a whole thing.

But now it’s weird because I am married to a woman and we (obviously) had to use a sperm donor to have our kid, which we can’t (and wouldn’t) hide. I’m definitely going to tell him 1) his actual ethnic background that comes from my bio father, and 2) that I can relate to having a loving, true parent who isn’t a bio parent but I had to like forewarn my mom? It’s just messy and dumb, honestly. Me and my bro look so much like my bio father that there is no way people who knew him don’t know.

[rihaty]

I think this stuff is important to tell your kids if only for medical reasons, it’s important to know about your genetics and family history if that information is available to you.

[my_moloko]

I think at least in this case what matters most is that her parents wanted her and loved her. Like other commenters said, I think based on when she was born the accepted stance would be to never talk about it and keep it hush hush. I hope people are realizing now that it's better to be open and honest even if the conversations are hard.

[andisprohi]

Nnnn, someone here made a rude comment before that her parents looked "average" and didn't understand where her looks came from 🙊

[mila_s_garden]

But did she look like Stacey Dash?

Reminds me of The Virgin Suicides, the narrator (in the movie) says something like he doesn't understand how those two bland parents had beautiful daughters.

[__onthebound]

Mr Lisbon, a math teacher could have such beautiful daughters.