The 2010 Adoptee Rights march in Louisville meets the press
(Photo: Dory Martin / ARC)

[ Editor's Note: I was adopted in October of 1958. In May of this year I found my birth mother. I went to see her in July. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I not only reunited with my mother but was very excited to discover I have a birth sister. I feel very fortunate. If I had been born after 1964 -- I would have been denied access to my own records and the mother and son reunion that was so moving would never have happened. Many adoptees are not as lucky as I was. Each state has different laws and some states have convoluted, archaic laws -- my home state has three sets of laws for three time periods. It can be very confusing to attempt to navigate the legal system if you have no background or no progressive attorney (thanks Gideon!) to offer guidance. For this reason I contacted the Adoptee Rights Coalition and asked their organizers to write a piece for NLN. It is my contention that the adoptee's right to access their own history is no different from any other civil right -- unfortunately this is a civil right trampled by corrupt politicians and attorneys who profit from making children into commodities. I recently spoke to a friend in the NAACP and as we talked about our common search for ancestors it became clear that adoptees and the descendants of slaves have one thing in common: our past has been taken from us. One could argue that the Adoptee Rights Coalition could well adopt the slogan of the National Lawyers Guild: "Human rights should be more sacred that property rights." In the end, adoptees are not the property of the State and have a right to know who they are, where they came from -- and to pursue a reunion with their birth family if all concerned want it. I salute and thank the Adoptee Rights Coalition for the work they are doing and for agreeing to submit a piece to NLN. ]

“The people, united…” (Adoptee Rights protesters in Louisville, 2010)
(Photo: Dory Martin / ARC)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Adoptee Rights Coalition was formed in 2007 in response to frustration at the myths, speculation, conjecture and shame that fuels the practice of denying American citizens — who happened to be adopted — the facts of their own lives.

“I’m Tired Of Being A Secret” (Louisville, 2010)
(Photo: Dory Martin / ARC)

In the 1930s and 1940s the United States — except for Kansas and Alaska — sealed the original birth certificates of people who were adopted. Not to protect the adoptee — to protect the sanctity of the adopted family.

“We Are opposedTo State Lies” (Adoptee Rights protest in Philadelphia, 2009)
(Photo: Kate Dahlquist and Claudia D’Arcy / ARC)

Adoption gained wide acceptance and popularity after World War II. As soon as the first bumper crop of adoptees grew-up, adoptees began asking for the right to have the documents relating to their own lives as available to them — a birth right taken for granted by most American citizens. In 1971, adoptee Florence Fisher founded the Adoptees Liberty Movement Association “to abolish the existing practice of sealed records” and advocate for “opening of records to any adopted person over eighteen who wants, for any reason, to see them.”

“Original Identity Is A Basic Human Right” (protest in Philadelphia, 2009)
(Photo: Kate Dahlquist and Claudia D’Arcy / ARC)

Unfortunately, the case for ending discrimination against adoptees has been stymied by adoption agencies and adoption attorneys who currently enjoy an unregulated $1.4 billion dollar a year industry. For more information, see “The National Council for Adoption: Mothers, Money, Marketing and Madness”

Adoptee Rights Coalition member Diane Crossfield offered a brief run down on the issue of adoptees being denied access to their won birth certificates on The Takeaway.

“Bastards Unite” (Philadelphia, 2009)
(Photo: Kate Dahlquist and Claudia D’Arcy / ARC)

Adoptees are routinely pathologized, their motives and loyalties questioned — for the simple act of wanting the same rights afforded to every other citizen.

“Birth Moms Support Adoptee Rights” (Philadelphia, 2009)
(Photo: Kate Dahlquist and Claudia D’Arcy / ARC)

Because adoption laws are decided on a state by state basis, Adoptee Rights activists have gathered at the National Convention of State Legislators for the last three years to lobby and educate law makers regarding pending legislation — and to urge legislators to take up the issue of adoptee rights legislation in their home state. To read more about these efforts visit AdopteeRights.net

Adoptee rights activists made the journey to Louisville this year — holding a protest outside the convention as part of the effort to educate the legislators and the public.

AdopteeRights.net has resources for anyone who is looking to donate time and money, or is interested in learning more about the adoptee rights movement in their state.

View Photos/Videos From The Protests In Louisville and Philly…