Editing Tonya Harding (section)

== Early life ==
[[File:Ice chalet lloyd center portland oregon lec by andrew parodi.jpeg|thumb|right|Ice Chalet at Portland's [[Lloyd Center]], where Harding began skating at age four.]]

Tonya Maxene Harding was born November 12, 1970, in Portland, Oregon, to LaVona Golden (b. 1940) and Albert Harding (1933–2009).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/obituaries/albert-gordon-harding/article_fbf7f286-1e22-5e3d-8d4b-3c27f9952c35.html|title=Albert Gordon Harding|work=[[Headlight-Herald (Tillamook)|Headlight-Herald]]|location=Tillamook, Oregon|date=April 14, 2009|access-date=January 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513144043/https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/obituaries/albert-gordon-harding/article_fbf7f286-1e22-5e3d-8d4b-3c27f9952c35.html|archive-date=May 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> During Harding's youth, her father held various odd jobs (managed apartments, drove a truck, and worked at a bait & tackle store), yet was often [[Underemployment|underemployed]] due to poor health.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rothman|first=Lily|date=December 8, 2017|title=Tonya Harding's World might have been Nothing Like Nancy Kerrigan's|url=https://time.com/5045902/tonya-harding-nancy-kerrigan-1994/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|location=New York City|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719033759/http://time.com/5045902/tonya-harding-nancy-kerrigan-1994/|archive-date=July 19, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=July 12, 2018}}</ref> She was raised in [[East Portland, Oregon|East Portland]], and began skating at age three, training with coach Diane Rawlinson. Harding also [[Hunting|hunted]], [[Drag racing|drag raced]], and learned [[Auto repair|auto mechanics]] from her father. LaVona struggled to support the family while working as a [[Waiting staff|waitress]], and hand-sewed her daughter's skating costumes to save money.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-poisoned-ice-vol-41-no-3/|title=Poisoned Ice|last1=Plummer|first1=William|last2=Reed|first2=Susan|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=January 24, 1994|access-date=July 7, 2018|number=3|volume=41|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707202146/https://people.com/archive/cover-story-poisoned-ice-vol-41-no-3/|archive-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> Harding's parents divorced after 19 years of marriage in 1987, when she was 16.<ref>{{harvnb|Prouse|Harding|2008|p=40}}. "[My parents] divorced in 1987. They separated in February, and then their divorce was final sometime in the summer."</ref> She dropped out of [[Milwaukie High School]] during her sophomore year to focus on skating; she earned a [[General Educational Development]] (GED) Certificate in 1988.{{sfn|Prouse|Harding|2008|pages=13; 42; 44; 46; 65}}

Harding claimed she was frequently abused by her mother. She stated that by the time she was seven years old, [[Physical abuse|physical]] and [[psychological abuse]] had become a regular part of her life. LaVona admitted to one instance of hitting Harding at an ice rink.<ref name="Oprah Sk Sc">{{cite web |website=[[Oprah.com]]|url=http://www.oprah.com/world/Tonya-Hardings-Figure-Skating-Scandal/5 |title=Tonya Harding's Skating Scandal |access-date=November 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129031446/http://www.oprah.com/world/Tonya-Hardings-Figure-Skating-Scandal/5 |archive-date=November 29, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2018, Harding's childhood friend and filmmaker, Sandra Luckow, spoke in defense of Harding's mother, because she felt that the 2017 film ''I, Tonya'' stretched some truths about LaVona's character. Luckow said that although Harding's mother could be "egregious" towards her daughter, LaVona funded and appreciated Harding's skating lessons, and had "a huge amount of humanity."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/movies/tonya-harding-mother-monster-friend/|first=Ale|last=Russian|title=Harding's Mom Really a Monster? Here's What Skater's Childhood Friend Has to Say|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=January 27, 2018|access-date=July 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062256/https://people.com/movies/tonya-harding-mother-monster-friend/|archive-date=July 31, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Harding's 2008 authorized biography, ''The Tonya Tapes'' (written by Lynda D. Prouse from recorded interviews with Harding), she said she was the victim of [[acquaintance rape]] in 1991,<ref>{{harvnb|Prouse|Harding|2008|pp=125; 132}}. "I was separated from Jeff [at the] time in '91. I never told anybody because I knew the person. It was a friend of mine."</ref> and that her half-brother, Chris Davison, [[child sexual abuse|molested]] her on several occasions when she was a child. In 1986, Harding called the police after Davison had been [[sexual harassment|sexually harassing]] and terrorizing her. He was arrested, and spent a short time in prison. Harding said her parents were in denial about Davison's behavior, and told her not to press criminal charges against him. Davison was killed in an unsolved vehicular hit-and-run accident in 1988.<ref>{{harvnb|Prouse|Harding|2008|pp=57–62}}. "[The police] ended up arresting [Davison]...And my mother and father came home and said I was [lying about the harassment]."</ref><ref name="Ice Queen">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1992/01/13/125774/not-your-average-ice-queen-a-troubled-past-hasnt-stopped-tonya-harding-from-becoming-a-figure-skating-champion|title=Not Your Average Ice Queen|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|location=New York City|date=January 13, 1992|access-date=August 2, 2018|quote=LaVona used the money she got in tips to pay for Tonya's lessons – $25 a week at first|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713135832/https://www.si.com/vault/1992/01/13/125774/not-your-average-ice-queen-a-troubled-past-hasnt-stopped-tonya-harding-from-becoming-a-figure-skating-champion|archive-date=July 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 3, 1994, during an interview with [[Rolonda Watts]], Harding said that Davison was the only person in her life unworthy of forgiveness, and "the only person I've ever hated."<ref>{{YouTube|id=95rjRhjESUg|t=1012s|title=Rolonda Watts' Interview with Tonya Harding}}. ''Rolonda (1994–1997)''. May 1994 Excerpt of Rolonda Watts asking about Chris Davison's death and his abuse of Harding from 16:52</ref>