90s kid here: Your parents were just insane.

Fellow 90s kid, my parents were exactly the same. Religious background, fox news constantly, I once didn't text back within 2 hours and had a neighbor contacted via Facebook knocking on my door in my 30s (to be fair I work on call so it's atypical). I got lectured at 18 for buying an m rated game in front of them... Police report was a bit much; but I you aren't alone.

Side note I would recommend this nostalgic song: high fives - 90s kid anthem by Dr awkward

This post makes me question my interpretation of events.

I have acquaintances who seem to have a paranoid belief that every other person in the world is a paedophile just waiting for an opportunity to kidnap their child. Growing up in the 90s, I had a great deal of freedom in comparison to this thought process. I played cricket on the streets, I walked around the neighbourhood without concern, I walked my dog in the evenings. My parents didn't seem to think I would be unsafe without them around to coddle me.

I guess no matter the generation there are parents who go too far in one extreme or another... Though tbh, being concerned about witchcraft seems more medieval than boomer. Sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you feel more free now. I imagine it must be a complex mix of emotions.

That blows, because we're similar age, I'm born in '87, and I look back fondly at the freedom I had as a kid. It's a bit how I intend to model my parenting around, although it's hard to escape modern times in my mind sometimes. But my kids will wander around the neighborhood alone (in a couple of years, still too young), get dirty, stay out til the sun goes down, that kind of thing, with the caveat of not bothering people and their properties. Probably easier said than done on my part, we shall see.

Same here. Raised by fundamentalist catholics. Its funny you mention pumping gas though haha. I couldn't pump gas because my cousin did once and got soaked in gas. I learned decades later its because he wasn't supposed to pump the gas but did anyway when no one was watching and squeezed the handle as he pulled it out of the pump and sprayed it everywhere.

I couldn't play Magic: The Gathering because you "summoned" monsters and that meant summoning demons to my mom. Same story with YuGiOh and Pokemon.

Halloween was the devils holiday and was a somber affair. I wasn't allowed to go trick or treating until I was like 10 or 11 or something. I think I eventually wore them down.

Harry Potter was the work of Satan and was going to force me to be wiccan and eat babies or something. I literally had to read it in secret like Harry studying magic with his aunt and uncle. My parents weren't abusive like Petunia and Vernon, but I related a lot to Harry's oppression.

I had several straight crushes in middle/high school that I wasn't allowed to date or even really talk to.

There's probably a lot more that I've finally been able to forget.

That's not even getting into all the abuse I endured as an LGBT teen.

Damn dude, I hope things are better for you