An independent voice for ethical adoption
Pushing for open adoptions
From Sonoma News:
Sometimes adoption and secrecy are synonymous, and adoptive families find themselves living in a hush-hush world. Sonomans Gene and Cathie Sperring, who raised two adopted children, believe families like theirs should let go of secrets and instead seek answers.
They think adopted persons have a right to know who gave birth to them and that they should have information about, and possibly get to know, their first parents. Gene is the Northern California representative of the American Adoption Congress, a nationwide organization that promotes honesty in adoption and works to pass legislation making it easier for adopted people to learn their backgrounds. Gene and Cathie are both active in the organization because, as Cathie puts it, “A person should be able to say, ‘I want to know who I am.’”
The Sperrings recognize that not everyone feels as they do. Their son, now 42, has found his roots and enjoys a warm relationship with his extended family. Their daughter, who is 38, knows who gave birth to her and has made contact, but does not feel the need to meet in person. Though each made a different choice, the important thing is that searching was their option. There are no secrets.
Most adoptions arranged by agencies today are open, but previously in the United States closed adoptions were the norm. Beginning in the 1930s, states passed legislation that sealed original birth certificates, intending to protect the privacy of the first parents, assuming that they would not want anyone to know they decided not to raise their child. Laws also intended to protect the adoptive parents, ensuring that first parents could not come looking for the child they relinquished. Now those laws are starting to change.
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