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November is National Adoption Awareness Month. Last week and still into this week, the Internet saw an influx of posts by waiting families, adoptive parents, birth parents, adoptees, social workers and agencies talking about their feelings and events regarding the "celebration." While originating as a week to bring awareness to children in foster care in the United States, it was promoted to a month in 1995.
This year, President Obama issued his yearly proclamation regarding the month, as other presidents have in the past. He paints a rosy picture of adoption and adoptive families.
Currently, thousands of children await adoption or are in foster care, looking forward to permanent homes. These children can thrive, reach their full potential, and spread their wings when given the loving and firm foundation of family. Adoptive families come in many forms, and choose to adopt for different reasons: a desire to grow their family when conceiving a child is not possible, an expression of compassion for a child who would otherwise not have a permanent family, or simply because adoption has personally touched their lives. For many Americans, adoption has brought boundless purpose and joy to their lives. We must do all we can to break down barriers to ensure that all qualified caregivers have the ability to serve as adoptive families.
There are complaints in the adoption-sphere that he glosses over some of the real issues facing adoptive families, adoptees (Original Birth Certificates much!?) and birth parents with regards to the trauma and loss of adoption. (Of course, one blogger points out that Obama isn't the first to gloss over the issues.) More over, the entirety of his proclamation doesn't address the fact that reform is desperately needed in the adoption industry, that the system is broken and leaving families in desperate need of post-placement care that they simply are not receiving.
Interestingly, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made her own proclamation this month, though she took the focus off of the issue of foster care within our own borders and made it more of a wide-spread issue. But she talked about reform, birth parents and the child's best interest -- unheard of in anyone's proclamation. Ever. Here's a snip-it:
The State Department is committed to safeguarding the interests of children, birth parents and adoptive parents worldwide. Earlier this year, I was pleased to announce the appointment of Ambassador Susan Jacobs as Special Advisor for International Children’s Issues. Ambassador Jacobs’ office will work with our consulates and with foreign governments around the world to ensure that the child’s best interests are at the heart of every adoption. We will also encourage other nations to join us as parties to the Hague Adoption Convention which helps ensure ethical and transparent adoptions for everyone.
I would absolutely love to sit down with Clinton, whose husband was the one who boosted the week to a month in 1995, and pick her brain on this issue. Is she aware that the ethical issues that need focused on are rampant in our own country as well? These issue don't just affect Guatemala, Ethiopia and China, just to name a few countries. These are issues at home, issues that are hurting families and children within our own borders. I think it would be fascinating to talk to her about such things considering the mentions she makes here. She seems open to it!
Beyond official words from Very Important People, the blogosphere has been abuzz with talk of National Adoption Month. Not everyone is a supporter. Some people -- adoptive parents, adoptees and birth parents alike -- are upset that adoption agencies and others who profit from the adoption industry use this month to focus on programs such as domestic and international adoption instead of finding permanent families for foster children whose parents' rights have already been severed. Those people take issue with agencies padding their pockets while children continue to wait and reform sits on the back burner.
Quite honestly, I think the influx of posts discussing everything from the pure hatred of it -- and reasons why -- to the posts educating others about their families -- and how they're normal too -- to the reminders of what the month is about -- waiting children -- all
