Is it possible to set the stacking order of pseudo-elements below their parent element? [duplicate]

Answer 1

Speaking with regard to the spec (http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/zindex.html), since a.someSelector is positioned it creates a new stacking context that its children can't break out of. Leave a.someSelector unpositioned and then child a.someSelector:after may be positioned in the same context as a.someSelector.