I'm joining in the Grown In My Heart website's Adoption Carnival again. This time it's all about Adoption Reform and what it means to each person. Here are my thoughts...
Honestly, I've always "talked the big talk" when it comes to reform. Always advocating for it, but never doing anything about it. Hypocritical much? Maybe. I think I've always just figured that others will do it for me…and never took the initiative.
Recently, I decided that it was time for me to stop pussyfooting around the issue of adoption reform and help out my fellow adoptees (and other sympathetic natural parents and adoptive parents) by getting involved. I'm going to be researching the adoption reform laws for my home state and compiling a "report" that can be used to forward the cause.
I want every adoptee to have equal, unfettered access to their original birth certificates. I find it horrifying that it's possible to change a birth certificate to show two unrelated people as having genetic ties to a child. It's just not right. Since I know that for now, adoption is a necessary evil, I'd rather see a separate legal document showing that the child has been adopted, rather than falsifying another legal piece of paper.
I want every adoptee to have equal, unfettered access to his/her medical history. If I hadn't been reunited with my natural mother and family, I would have NEVER KNOWN that Alzheimer's Disease runs in my family…that cancer is part of my history and has claimed many of my family members. Imagine yourself going to the doctor's office and for 34 out of 35 years, having to write down that you have no clue about your medical background and seeing the doctor write down "Patient Is Adopted..No History". No history?? But in actuality, there IS history…I'm just not allowed to know it.
My wish list for reform is endless…and the challenges ahead many. It's a daunting task that faces the Reform Warriors…but I'm proud to say that I'm standing up and standing proud and am ready to face the battles ahead.
Well said.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! One of my children has glaucoma which was diagnosed at a very young age (7) It is fairly unusual to find glaucoma in young children and I was asked the history question. I had to explain that i had no history on the dad's side but that I did have it on his first mothers side and there was nothing about glaucoma anywhere. Later I spoke with a cousin of my son's and she said that she still sees his father around sometimes and that he has a "funny milky eye." She thought he was blind in one eye but wasn't sure. My point is that I would love to see the reform somehow get both sides of the family tree involved. My son's dad didn't live with his mom and the breech between them was not amicable. But it sure would have helped to have more than rather late, decidedly anecdotal information.
ReplyDeleteYes, very well said! And thank you for hopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's really amazing how laws differ from state to state and country to country. I gained access to information regarding my adopted son's medical history and his mother's name and address. I believe once we've finalized his adoption we will be given "adoption papers", not a birth certificate that would tie us to him genetically or something like that.
Isn't it ironic that the adoption triad here in the Philippines has much of what you there in the US want and that adoption is still taboo in this country as compared to yours? Why is the grass always greener on the other side? :)
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ReplyDeleteThe laws "Protecting"us adoptees are pretty ridiculous. I didn't know heart problems and diabetes ran in my family. If i would have never reunited with my family i would have never known. Is that really protected? I dont think so, considering both things could kill me. With out any idea of my family history i wouldnt know now that i have watch my sugar intake, and now quit smoking for my heart.
ReplyDeleteGood job keeping up the fight, its what we need.
I think that is so wonderful!!! I cannot believe that original birth certificates are hidden and kept from the people they rightfully belong to. It disgusts me. I am so glad that we have our children's original birth certificates.
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