Sealed records for adoptees is one of our most poignant examples of the lack of political progress in our current times. I’ve been thinking a lot about social progress vs. political progress.
I saw the movie Milk the other night. A lot has changed for gays since the 70s. Nowadays, many gays & lesbians carry on with their lives without keeping secrets about their sexual orientation. There’s a fair amount of social acceptance for them. But legislated equal rights is another story.
There are no overt social prejudices against adoptees. Though, I don’t think there’s a high level of discussion about adoption or what the practice of adoption means to adoptees or birth parents. People are not against adoptees, per se. However, most states have yet to pass legislation that will grant adoptees access to their birth records. The fact that those sealed records remain sealed and off limits to adult adoptees is a political wrong.
They want to continue to shame the mothers and the adoptees. Its one of their favorite things. It drives me totally nuts too.
Being a birthmother, I haven’t thought as much about shame as it pertains to adoptees. But It makes sense…..if the mother is shameful, the adopted child could quite likely feel the inheritance of that shame. Sealing birth records perpetuates it.