“Three truths about being erased,” he says. But let’s talk about the fourth: the truth about projection.
Mark Anthony Stephens is back with another round of grievance-laced posts lamenting being “erased” from his children’s lives. It’s become a broken-record refrain—one part victim narrative, one part public performance. His latest post features a series of emotional slides suggesting a father left behind, forced to celebrate milestones alone and feeling invisible.
The irony? The man who preaches about being erased is the same man actively erasing others—literally.
The Scribbled-Out Truth
Attached to this post are photos Mark himself defaced—not metaphorically, but with scribbles and black bars. His pen doesn’t censor content. It censors people. Most notably:
Melissa, the mother of his children.
Russ, the stepfather who’s been present through the sports games, doctor visits, therapy sessions, and school meetings.
In the world Mark paints, he’s the hero, tragically locked out of his children’s lives. But the reality is far messier, documented in medical reports, court records, and firsthand accounts from teachers, doctors, and even fellow parents like Rob PetersRob_Peters_Mark_Stephen….
The truth? Mark hasn’t been erased—he’s been documented.
Erasure Isn’t Being Held Accountable
Being removed from your child’s life because:
You refused to comply with court-ordered evaluations,
Undermined your child’s medical care,
Interfered with evidence-based treatment for life-threatening conditions,
And made your child sign a contract denying their own diagnosisDr. Rao,
…is not “erasure.” It’s accountability.
Projection Much?
Let’s decode the subtext:
“I celebrate milestones alone…” You were invited. You chose chaos.
“My love for you hasn’t faded…” Love shows up as support, not sabotage.
“I feel invisible in your life…” Perhaps because you’ve made others invisible in your narrative. You erased the mother, the stepfather, the doctors, the teachers, the courts, and anyone who didn’t say what you wanted to hear.
The Real Victims of Erasure
Let’s not forget who has been erased in Mark’s narrative:
Melissa, the consistent caregiver and advocate.
Liam and Nathan’s voice, when it didn’t serve his storyline.
Russ, the man who stepped up when Mark stepped out.
Mark’s erasure is not about love lost. It’s about control denied.
Final Thought
If Mark wants to talk about being erased, let’s talk about all the scribbled-out photos, the false contracts, the court orders ignored, the chaos filmed, and the endless posts that erase the people actually raising and protecting the children.
You don’t get to cry “erased” when you’re the one holding the Sharpie.
Erased — The Psychology of Control Through Cropped Images
Read more