Open Records for Adult Adoptees, Page 2
Other arguments are:
- Birthparents (or adoptees, or adoptive parents) don't want open records.
77% said YES to Parenting Magazine Poll that asked "Should adoptees be able to access their own birth records?"
1 "birth" mother (out of thousands in 18 years) refused contact from her adult child.
93% of adoptees were pleased with the outcome of their reunions with "birth" parents;
50% of reunited adoptees now visit on a regular basis;
17% of reunited adoptees had only one meeting.
94% of adoptees who wrote to public officials favored model state adoption legislation allowing open records; 6% opposed it.
- We have passive registries for those who want to reunite.
NEW YORK STATE REGISTRY
35 matches in 9 years, of adoptees with "birth" parents, were facilitated by New York's State Registry as of 6-92, despite 2,119 adoptees and 932 "birth" parents registered, at an average cost of $275 each.
Dead People cannot register.
The Registries are not advertised.
People may have moved out of state and are unaware of their existence.
One important thing to remember in this whole discussion: We are talking about open records for ADULT ADOPTEES. This means that a birthmother will have, at a minimum, 18 years before the adoptee can even begin to search for her, IF they so desire. A lot can happen in 18 years to change a birthmother's mind about contact.
Adoptees want the same rights that everyone else in the United States has: access to their own information. Instead, total strangers are allowed to look at our information, yet the State does not trust us with it. We are 'infantilized' in the eyes of the law. Not all adoptees are going to search. That is their right. Not all adoptees will want their information. That is their right. But we need to put the issue of reunions into the hands of the people whom it will affect, not state legislators who are quoting laws from 70 years ago which were passed in a much different society than what we have today. As far as birthmothers' rights, they have the right to say "no" to a reunion. But let us adoptees have access to our history.
Tim Roberts
Adoptive Parent
Adoptee Reunited 7/13/97
© 2001 Tim Roberts
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Comments
I am having a very difficult time trying to get any information about my birth. I have the non-identifying information and let me tell you NON-IDENTIFYING is right. I had basically nothing written on the sheet of paper. The only information that I hadn't known is I have a sibling born prior to my birth. Male or female, I don't know. Twin or older, I don't know. Father completly "unknown". I don't know the cirrcumstance to my adoption at all. I am almost 40 years old. I haven't a clue to where I am from. I have had some medical problems in the past and I think that is when I hit my all time worst. I couldn't ask my mom, aunties or grandma did they ever have to deal with the medical problems I was having at the time. I was born to a faceless woman. I was given the name "Baby Girl Rogers" born 11/12/1967 in Binghamton General Hospital at 1:15 p.m. I was a big baby at birth. Everything was handled through Broome County.
Can anyone tell me where to go to see about the bith index?
I want to petition the courts but do I have to physically go to Binghamton or can I petition the courts from my local area?
if you have any questions or comments or suggestion please feel free to e-mail me.
raeslaw39@hotmail.com
Posted by: raeslaw39 at 04/23/2007 08:57 PM
I reunited with my mom when I was 30. I'm 35 now.
One of the worst feelings of my life was when I was in the beginning stages of my search. The feeling I had of not knowing what kind of barriers I was going to have to go through in order to find my birthmom was almost unbearable.
Fortunately, for me, my birthmom made it easy for me to find her. We are best friends now.
However, if I had been told that my records were "sealed" or whatever, I might have become suicidal or worse.
Their argument, "abortion rates are lower with sealed documents" doesn't cut the mustard.
What's the suicide rate of people who are denied access to their medical history and family heritage? Especially when you take into account some adoptions don't go very well.
If this person who wrote the article were to go spend some time on an "adoptee support" message board he would clearly see tons of deeply depressed people who are clinging to very very tiny shreads of hope.
It's as if the writer of that article for "birthmother's rights" is also the same argument that adoptees don't have any rights.
It's one-sided and heartless. Only an adoption agency whose income depends on adoptions would support closed adoptions.
Jeff
Posted by: mrjeff at 01/24/2007 12:50 PM
I am 35 yrs old. I think it should be my choice if I want my records opened. Who are you to tell me I don't have the right to my own personal information? My mother (which is my bilogical mother) told me the same thing. Your always worried about protecting the mother what about the adoptee??????????? I just found out that my mother has lied to me my whole entire life. I want the truth, those records show the truth, and I will get the truth. I don't care if I have to pay a lawyer. It is my life I think I deserve to know about it. Also for medical reasons, heritage, etc. My mother has lied to me and protected herself enough. it is all about to change. This is suppose to be a free country who are they to tell me I don't deserve the right to know??????
Thank You
C.Parkhurst
Posted by: cpwildcats2 at 01/22/2007 07:18 AM
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