real parents adopting

I don't think any of us can answer that question for you.I'm sure that there are a number of reasons why a stepfather would adopt you. Maybe it was for tax purposes.Maybe it was to make you feel like you were your stepfather's child.Maybe it was done to upset your b-father.Have you attempted to find your b-father to find out his version of events? Have you asked you mother her version of events?There really is no one reason for any adoption (including stepparent adoptions).

Ok, first of all. You would have been adopted by your stepfather only. Your mother's status didn't change. She would have to have approved the adoption but legally, she didn't become an adoptive parent at that point. Only your stepdad did.Secondly, remember that things were vastly different in the 70s with regards attitudes about divorce, moms and kids having different last names, just the whole culture of what a family is, fathers rights, custody issues, child support and all of that. Remember the movie Kramer vs Kramer. It was paradigm altering to many at the time, and it really helped with the idea that dads could and should have custody/visitation and rights. The concept that a dad could be the best parent to raise a child was foreign in 1972. It was still uncommon in 1979 when Kramer vs Kramer came out.Now, I was adopted by a stepparent in 1975. I don't buy the tax status as your mom could still have claimed you as a dependent although maybe that was part of the discussion. In my case, it was more due to what I stated above. It's not uncommon for women in new relationships to want to leave all the old behind, including the child's dad. My stepdad adopted me to make my mom happy. My bio dad signed the papers thinking he was giving me a chance at a normal family. My mom wanted us to be a "normal" family, to look like everyone else, to not stand out. Divorce was still really frowned upon in the early 70s. It carried a stigma in some religous circles into the 90s. For her last name and mine to be different just broadcasted that she was divorced.There are times that it does make sense today for step parent adoption to occur. To me, the birth dad needs to be absent and not involved in the life. The step parent needs to truly want to be a parent to that child for life. If the step parent wants to be able to raise the child in the event that something happens to the birth parent, it's helpful to have adopted the step child. **I know that many don't like the term bio dad. And I use it only in reference to mine because that's how I've always thought of him. It's not meant as a comment on any other birthparent.