Adoptee rights

Dear Adoption Maharishi: Do Adoption Laws Violate the 14th Amendment?

Submitted by Adoption_Maharishi on Wed, 07/28/2010 - 06:08

Dear Adoption Maharishi,

I am really bothered by the fact that adult adoptees are denied access to their original birth certificates in many states. I can think of no other group of people who are categorically denied access to their own records without having any say. How can this practice comply with the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment?

~ Frustrated

New York Statewide Adoption Reform’s UNSEALED INITIATIVE

Submitted by LisaS on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 20:18

THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG WAS COPIED FROM THE UNSEALED INITIATIVE WEBSITE PER THEIR REQUEST TO APPEAL FOR SUPPORT.

 JOIN US TO LOBBY IN ALBANY. Join Our Email Lobby List! For more information please contact: Unsealedinitiative@nyc.rr.com.  We are a Pro Adoption Reform Organization

Adoptees must be free from a law legalizing the falsification of permanent records. A law enacted in 1935 which nullifies the inalienable and civil right of a person to know the actual facts of their birth and obtain a copy of their original birth certificate. 74 years old! Governor Lehman signed the closed record law in July 1935. We are committed and dedicated to the cause of removing this outdated, unfair and discriminatory law.

Please sign this online petition for Open Records in New York State! Bill Numbers A8410 and S5269

Mothers Who Surrendered to Adoption please also sign this one

The New York Open Records Bill gives adoptees full rights. Our bill is similar to bills that are now laws in Alabama, New Hampshire,Oregon and soon Maine. Although the new law will not give adoptees direct access like laws in Alaska and Kansas, it gives birth parents the option of filing a contact preference indicating they want "direct contact", "contact through an intermediary" or "no contact". Click here to read more on the Bill Summary page.

New York Statewide Adoption Reform needs your support with letter-writing and lobbying for the “Bill of Adoptee Rights”. Passage of the Bill will allow adult adoptees, age eighteen or older, the right to their original Birth Certificate. We are asking for the same right that non-adopted persons take for granted. The New York State adoption law that seals records is unfair, outdated and discriminatory. The law violates adoptees civil rights. With recent victories for adoptees in New Hampshire, Maine, Tennessee, Oregon, Alabama and Delaware, and records already open in Kansas and Alaska since the 1950’s, New Yorkers want our state to be next.

The Child Welfare League of America is in support of Open Records for all Adoptees in the U. S at age 18. The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a non-profit policy and education think tank in New York City, is in support of our bills. The Institute does not align with an organization or cause while conducting research and analysis on many adoption-related issues in order to improve practices, policies and laws. Catholic Charities in Albany has recently given support for our bills. The American Adoption Congress, Spence Chapin Adoption Agency in New York City, Holt International Children Services (a leading adoption agency), The Adoptees Liberty Movement Association, Adoption Crossroads, and Manhattan Birthparents Support Group, North American Council on Adoptable Children all strongly support our bills.

Keep updated on New York's progress for open records. Get on the mailing list:

Image Credit: Unsealed Initiative

GUEST BLOG: The Trials and Tribulations Experienced When Reuniting With Birth Family Members

Submitted by GuestBlogger on Wed, 05/19/2010 - 21:27

Marjorie Shaw is an adoptee in a closed domestic adoption and author of the book, “A Legitimate Life: A Forbidden Journey of Self Discovery" published on Adoption Under One Roof.

Everyone who is in reunion needs to read “Adoption Reunion ...Ecstasy or Agony” by Evelyn Robinson before, during and after reuniting with any birth relative. As an adoptee in reunion I have read and reread her book on a regular basis as I experience long buried feelings of sadness, grief and even admitting to myself I feel like a total failure as a human being.

An adoptee can find all sorts of obstacles during reunion such as lies, jealousy, mind games, denial, more rejection, silence, grief which is much like being on an endless emotional roller coaster. Some adoptees have smooth sailing but some do not. It all depends on the birth family and how they had lived without the child lost to adoption. In my case it was a closed adoption and was never to be discussed or questioned with my adopters or siblings. No one seems to understand what it is like to grow up without any reflection of oneself in the family. My adoptive parents closed mindedness didn’t stop me from conducting my secret search for my birthmother when I was 21.

It was rough going as my birth parents were in denial but that didn’t stop me from continuing to search for my half siblings on both sides. My half siblings on both sides had problems at first as they were trying to be loyal to their mother and father leaving me to wallow in despair. However little by little trust was gained and I received bits and pieces of information in the form of pictures, family heirlooms, and genealogy. Each bit of information showed our similarities and helped to create a reconnection to my true identity, the one I shared with blood relatives as relationships slowly formed as we exchanged letters and a few phone calls.

Access to Birth Certificates Advancing in Three States

Submitted by LisaS on Fri, 04/30/2010 - 20:15

“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning; no matter what our attainments in life, there is the most disquieting loneliness.” -- Alex Haley (Roots)

On April 21 the Illinois Senate passed HB 5428 granting adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates unless the birth mother asks to remain anonymous. When this bill is signed by Gov. Pat Quinn on April 29 it will apply retroactively to all adoptions in the state. In Rhode Island and Connecticut similar bills that would allow adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates are now under consideration. Rhode Island S2759 was referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, while Connecticut SB293 was referred to the Committees on Judiciary in both the House and the Senate.

GUEST BLOG: Ways for Adoptees to Search for Their Biological Parents

Submitted by LisaS on Fri, 04/09/2010 - 17:39

Special thanks to Marjorie for preparing this list for our readers.

Some of our readers are adoptees who have found their birth parents, others are not and are searching. I asked one of our guest bloggers, Marjorie, to prepare a list of how to go about searching for birth parents. If you have any other suggestions please post them in the comment section below this blog or send me an email at lisas@ouradopt.com.  At Adoption Under One Roof we feel it is essential to offer help to all members of the adoption triad and to share any information we have. To those of you who are searching, good luck.

In getting started, you will first need to know your biological parents first and last names. While browsing the Internet for locating people just simply insert their names and if you know what city or state they reside in the information will come very handy. Making contact with your natural parents is likely to be time-consuming but it's not likely to be time wasted.

Then:

1. Join every search registry you can

2. Find out in what state or country you were born ..what hospital if you can as the birth records are there.

3. Find out the adoption agency from which you were adopted and see if they have any information for you or ways to search.

4. Adoptees Liberty Movement (ALMA) is very helpful.

5. Get a copy of your Adoption Decree if you can as it states the name of your biological mother on it in many instances

Older Adoptees Stuck in the Secret Mode

Submitted by LisaS on Wed, 04/07/2010 - 12:12

A new generation of adoptive parents is well aware that keeping secrets from their adoptive children is highly unhealthy. We’ve been taught the necessity of talking with our child about their adoption openly and honestly; we have heard from adult adoptees that it is an important part of their mental health.

But there are still adult adoptees in our country born in a different generation who are in the dark about their birth parents. Their adoptive parents have shared no information with them except that they are adopted. Some have asked their parents questions about their adoption only to be told that they don’t know anything. Even worse are the adoptive parents who tell their adopted children that they will be very hurt if they search for their birth parent.

The Sad Story of One Guatemalan Child

Submitted by LisaS on Mon, 03/29/2010 - 20:53

Here is one of those tragic stories that you wish you had never read. But I cannot help but post this story about one little Guatemalan boy who has suffered so much and whose future is questionable at best. No doubt some will say some sort of justice was done – I beg to differ.

The little Guatemalan boy’s name is Michael. He was adopted by a woman in Gainesville, Fla and abandoned by her in the airport when she brought him home from Guatemala. Another couple heard about this child from an acquaintance and was told that he would be sent back to Guatemala if he did not have a foster family immediately. They agreed to foster him, and that night they drove to Florida to bring him home.

GUESTBLOG: Just for the Record - Open Birth Certificates

Submitted by GuestBlogger on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 14:53

(The first part of this blog has been removed due to concern about litigation. Sorry.)

From an adoptee overseas when I asked her if biological parents ever harass adoptees… “Yes it does happen, It is just from what point you see it. With international adoptees you have this more, because once they have found each other, bio families believe the child is still a member from the family like anyone else from the family. So they have these expertations that their children will help them financially. It is more a financial issue. I know one boy he found his mother and she wanted to have sex with him in a very aggressive way. So that can also be an issue.

Some facts about states with Open Birth Certificates: There are 6 states in our country where adopted men and women can request and receive their obc‘s upon written request and without any compromise or restrictions.

1. KANSAS – This state never got around to sealing adoptee’s records. Adopted adults from Kansas have been able to get their obcs in the same manner as non-adopted folks for over 50 years now.

2. ALASKA – This state also never sealed its adoption records. Adoptees here have been able to freely access their obcs for over 20 years.

3. OREGON -. From June 2000 through November 2007, 9,571 adoptees sought and received their birth certificates in Oregon.

4. ALABAMA - which began releasing records in August 2000, filled 4,186 requests through November 2007.

5. NEW HAMPSHIRE - which began releasing records in 2005, issued 1,056 obcs through 2007.

6. MAINE’s access law was just enacted on January 1, 2009. Three months into the new law and 542 requests for original birth certificates had been received and obcs issued.

More Open Birth Records in Canada

Submitted by LisaS on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 14:24

The Yukon territories  of Canada joins British Columbia, Alberta, Newfoundland, and Ontario as another Canadian province/jurisdiction that has recognized the importance of making birth and adoption records available to adoptees and birthparents. The new law will go into effect on April 30th, 2010.

What does this mean?

Adopted adults (19+) may apply for their original birth certificate and their Adoption Order.

Birth parents of adopted adults may apply for a copy of the original birth registration, the amended birth registration, and the Adoption Order. 

Birth parents and adopted adults may choose to file a disclosure veto or a no-contact declaration.

GUEST BLOG: Cut off at the Root and Still in the Dark in 2010 – the Need for Open Birth Records

Submitted by GuestBlogger on Mon, 02/15/2010 - 14:47

Marjorie Shaw is an adoptee in a closed domestic adoption and author of the book,  “A Legitimate Life: A Forbidden Journey of Self Discovery" published on Adoption Under One Roof.

As I review my adoptive brother’s records from his birth in Chicago, Ill., in 1941 there are many details I missed thirteen years ago when I bought his records for $450 from the adoption agency. Today after rereading the pages of information I discover to my surprise his bio mother only put her first name on the Health Department-Laboratories Section---Serolog—Syphilis test. It states she is 20, white, single and a Scottish last name is hand written in small script on the report under Negative on The Laboratory Findings:

On another blood report the last surname was the same for the Negative Kahn and when I turned the document over an English last surname was written in for the x-ray report of his spine. They gave him two last names!

The background information from the adoption agency states that his nursery name is the same Scottish one that appeared on most of his records. The agency stated that his bio mother was of French and German descent and they didn’t state the name or nationality of his maternal grandparents. The 20 year old birthfather is said to be of Polish descent. So it a total mystery as to where the Scottish and English surnames come from that are listed on all the medical papers from the hospital?