I notice that in discussions when it comes up that I have a different dad than 3 of my other 4 siblings, people make it a point to point out they are half siblings. I only call them brother or sister, not half brother or half sister. We all came from my mothers womb. As far as I'm concerned we are brothers and sisters and the fact that we don't have the same father doesn't matter to me.

Does anybody else get this same reaction? Why do people feel the need to point it out? It seems really weird to me.

I agree. In fact, I don't think it even matters if they are from the same womb. I have two adopted siblings, and as far as I am concerned they are as much my relations as my biological brother.

JediMaster said:

I am much closer to some of my friends than I am to my full sister. So I agree that sister and brotherhood can come even without blood ties. I just think it's strange that people point out that we are half, almost as if they want me to say it myself. They'll say "half" brother or "half" sister and then look at me waiting for me to reply. I always say that they are my brother/sister period and I don't care about the "half" issue.

Absolutely. I come from quite a large family - three bro's who i share mother and father with, and three brothers and two sisters who i share one parent with. But they're all absolutely my brothers and sisters without a doubt, full stop, end of story. It does involve me explaining to people though, which is annoying because i feel like i have to justify it with "we all grew up in the same house though", or something like that. Which is a stupid justification really, but there you go.

TheFrog said:

You hit on it. Peoples reactions make me feel like I have to justify it as well. I don't get it.

I think many folks have this idea of blood being this magical thing that binds family together. To me, it has nothing to do with that. I saw so many children come in and out of my home (my parents did foster parenting from the time I was in about third grade) that had been abused by their own "blood" that it truly means nothing to me. I'm just as close to my adopted sister and brother as I am to my biological one, and we are bound together by our common factors, not genetics.

Ignore them, Supa. That's my advice to you. I used to get real pissed when someone would say "oh, so your sister is adopted? So she's not your real sister!" Such utter BS! Of course she's my real sister! As I've gotten older, I've started to let it roll off. Its a "pearls before swine" thing, and there is no sense in trying to make someone with that kind of mentality understand.

Folks emphasising the 'half" aspect really miss the point. Sure, that is a legal distinction, but nothing more. They are your siblings, end of story.

I do ignore them. It's just irritating that people think you owe them an explanation or that you need to make the distinction. I don't and I never do.

I have a half-sister, but I really didn't truly know she was until I was 10 or so.

I've never considered has as such...I love her no matter if she's my half-sister, my step-sister, my friend...whatever. I don't tell people she's my half-sister, nor does she. I have the same blood running through my veins as she does...

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Co-sign on this too...it does seem odd, that some folks want you to 'admit' the fact that you have a half-sibling. It happens to me too

Grrrr... edit
[This message was edited Tue Apr 13 16:54:47 2004 by summerdawn]

I don't half love my sister. so therefore I don't consider her my half-sister period. I leave it at that. When someone tries to explain that she is my half sister, I give them a fucked up look and they shut the hell up

I got one half brother and two half sisters. The youngest one of them was 15 when I was born, so when I was really young they felt more like aunts and uncles, but nowadays they're just like siblings to me.

But, whatever the situation was, I never considered them to be anything less than full fledged family members.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Because people are stupid, boo.

Go on brush your shoulders off.

It absolutely does not matter..

My sisters are my sisters, and my brothers are my brothers.. There is no difference in love..

people are fascinated with labels and classifications. there seems to be a gnawing need for "order" for people to understand. it's crazy, and no, it doesn't matter.