Today’s guest blogger is Matt Burbage
When the media discusses adoption, it tends to focus on the perspective of the adoption industry or the adoptive parents. Yet, this depiction doesn’t tell the full story. In fact, Laura Barcella illustrates that there is another very important narrative that tends to get discounted, in her recently published article in the New York Times, Adoptees Like me ‘Flip the Script’ on the Pro-Adoption Narrative, written on November 13, 2014. Barcella reveals there is another side to adoption and that this journey isn’t always a happy experience. She reminds the reader that in order for adoption to be a reality, a family had to be dismantled, whether or not this was due to a termination of parental rights or a difficult decision on behalf of the biological parents.
Barcella argues that the traditional story of adoption is laced with positive outcomes and expected appreciation on behalf of the adopted child. The fact is these feelings are never this simplistic, but rather far more complex. Embedded in their feelings are often notes of isolation and loss. She purposely illustrates the commonality between the words, adoptee, refugee, and amputee, all words associated with loss. Barcella shares her story of struggling with anxiety, depression and addiction; a story that she asserts is not so uncommon among adoptees. These stories begin to expose the more complex issues, such as how trauma and attachment play a role in adoption.
Barcella’s story offers a much-needed narrative in the discussion of adoption. She beautifully sheds light on the other side of adoption. Barcella also challenges the reader to rethink their opinion of the adoption industry. Moreover, she exemplifies that deeply rooted in the adoption industry there might be both oppressive and discriminatory practices at play since the industry is often run by those that tend to hold the most power in society, wealthy, white, and Christian. However, Barcella’s argument could have been stronger if she included facts to help support her claim. For instance, she could have used factual information to expose the disproportional representation of children of color involved in the child welfare system (Roberts, 2002). Barcella does call for change, and she even strengths her argument by offering some suggestions, including demanding open adoptions and attempting to establish maternal kinship supports. Yet, she doesn’t offer any measures that would circumvent adoption in the first place, such as reexamining the Federal and State laws that promote the fast time lines for terminating parental rights (Roberts, 2002). Barcella’s depiction also did not discuss the services that can be helpful after adoption, such as cultural competency training, attachment knowledge, among others (Pecora, Whittaker, Maluccio, Barth, & DePanfilis, 2009).
Barcella doesn’t share the positive side of adoption, but perhaps that story has been told enough. It is clear that she set out to dismantle many of the myths associated with adoption, as illustrated above. Even though, these conversations are not easy, they are needed because this is the true reality of adoption since it represents the whole picture, not just one voice.
References:
Barcella, L. (2014) Adoptee Like Me ‘Flip the Script’ on the Pro-Adoption Narrative. New York Times. Retrieved from http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/adoptees-like-me-flip-the-script-on-the-pro-adoption-narrative/?_r=0
Pecora, P. J., Whittaker, J. K., Maluccio, A. N., & Barth, R. P. (2012). The child welfare challenge: Policy, practice, and research. AldineTransaction.
Roberts, D. (2002). Shattered bonds: The color of child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 24(11), 877-880.