Susan.Goldfield@p0.f1089.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Susan Goldfield) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15921
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
When we began looking in to adoption 6 months ago, I could not believe
the things I was told. The bottom line was, we were too young and/
or poor to adopt healthy babies, but we were considered negotiable
for the unwanted kids- physically or mentally disabled, babies who's
parents are from two different racial groups. David and I would be
glad to adopt these babies, but there was always discouraging reamrks.
I know that some of it had to do with David being blind. After all
that I had surgery to hopefully correct my fertility problem, so we
decided to keep trying the old fashioned way(grin). Nothing yet, so
maybe we'll look into foster care. ............Sue
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1089.0!Susan.Goldfield
Internet: Susan.Goldfield@p0.f1089.n261.z1.fidonet.orgMary.Otten@p0.f1055.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Mary Otten) (05/31/91)
Index Number: 15930
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Do you mean to say they told you you couldn't have a "normal child" to
adopt, but one who wasn't white or something was ok? And who is in
charge of this deal? And don't we live in a country where "all men are
created equal"?Iguess that should have said people, but the guys in the
18th century were behing the times. Good luck with trying the old
fashioned way. If nothing else you'll have fun. Smile.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1055.0!Mary.Otten
Internet: Mary.Otten@p0.f1055.n261.z1.fidonet.orgLGH@BROWNVM.BITNET (Lynn Hughes) (06/02/91)
Index Number: 15935 Yes, indeed, there is a two-tier system for adoption in this country. "Desireable" children, which means healthy, white, babies, are reserved for "desireable" parents, meaning healthy, white, well-to-do, married, and in a particular age range. Other parents-- including handicapped, single, poor, too old, too young, etc.-- are considered for "hard-to-place" children-- older, handicapped, non-white, etc. Racist? Discriminatory? Unfair? You bet. Unfortunately this system seems to be deeply ingrained in both the public and private adoption networks. To the extent that the factors that make someone desireable or undesirable are irrelevant to the success of the adoptive relationship, they are discriminatory; to the extent that they are legitimate, the system works to ensure that the children with the greatest needs go to the parents least able to meet them. The whole system is in drastic need of reform.
Diana.Dawne@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Diana Dawne) (06/18/91)
Index Number: 16187
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I know that placing any child that is habndicapped or ill is very
difficult. When I was still a baby, the state took me away from my
mother because she was considered unfit. I suspectthis was a correct
decision but I had a lot of trouble from the beginning. My life has
been blessed with poor health and the state had serious difficulties
finding anyone who would take me as a result.
Eventually I was adopted by a family who gave me every opportunity, but
that was a real fluke of luck although some would say it was
questionable luck as although these people could provide a lot, they
would never have been given a "Normal" child because they were much
older people. In fact, I was old enough to wonder about that when the
adoption happened, and I asked the social worker about who and why
people could adopt. I was really upset when I was told someone like me
was the only kind of person these people would be allowed to addopt.
In ,closing, I should like to say that if you become a foster parent,
and if you are kind and loving, that child will be most fortunateand the
experience of being with you may follow him or her throught the rest of
the child's life.
* EZ 1.30 *
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Internet: Diana.Dawne@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org