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Outlook: Secrets and Lies: What my parent hid from me

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Secrets and Lies from Outlook

30/03/2021 GMT

Secrets and Lies: What my parent hid from me

BBC World Service - Outlook, Secrets and Lies: What my parent hid from me

Two stories involving parents who concealed life-changing secrets from their children

In 1997 a baby is stolen from a Cape Town hospital, 17 years later the truth is revealed by chance. And the gay teen who discovers a startling secret about his homophobic stepdad.

We're delving into the Outlook archive to bring you stories about parents who kept shocking secrets from their children. 

In April 1997 a woman dressed as a nurse walked into a Cape Town hospital and left with a new born baby. The baby's name was Zephany Nurse - that child would not discover her true identity for another 17 years. This story was presented by Mpho Lakaje. Miche Zephany's book about her experience is called Zephany, Two Mothers One Daughter.

As a film-obsessed gay teenager, Wes Hurley was thrilled to move to the US from Russia. But his mother’s new husband was moody and homophobic. He told Outlook's Saskia Edwards how they ended up bonding, after a surprise revelation. Wes made a film about his life, co-directed by Nathan Miller, called Little Potato. 

And if all this sharing of secrets has got you thinking about a story in your own life, we'd love to hear it.  Write to us, or send a short voice memo to outlook@bbc.com. The secret could be about you or someone you know, or it could just be a fantastic tale you heard. If your story is about someone you know, just make sure they're ok with you telling us about it.

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