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I originally wasn’t going to reply to the judgemental negative post. Then a couple nice people posted in my defense ( thank you !) and I thought , I will answer , but not to the rude person, just to the board in general.
Here goes :
My parents (adoptive) were amazing people. More than good enough , they were practically saints. They’ve passed away, but were always open to me searching if I wished. They were honest with me about my adoption , and gave me all the info they were given . They’d adopted two boys and waited 7 years to adopt me. I adored them . I adore my brothers. I adore my entire family. I never had any ill feelings toward my teenage birth mother. Ever. I didn’t want to search for her out of respect - to her , to her family, to the choice I assumed she made .
Then last year I read “The Girls Who Went Away” and it occurred to me for the first time that it may not have been her choice , and even if it was her choice , that she may have had regrets , even lifelong problems because of it .
People were lied to - adoptive parents , birth mothers . Birth certificates were changed - the originals sealed . This was a closed adoption , thought to be the best for everyone . Except maybe it wasn’t. My mother (adoptive) was told a young woman chose to give me up and her age. But maybe there’s more to the story.
I’ve since found out my birth mothers name and that she was in a maternity home and that I wasn’t even born at the hospital listed on my birth certificate- the amended one they gave my adoptive parents.
I could go on and on- I read that book and wept for those women who were shamed and sent away. Then I read 10 more similar books , even talked to a couple birth mothers who had gone through the “Baby Scoop Era”. Other countries have publicly apologized to birth mothers for the way they were treated back then.
Anyway, I hope it WAS her choice to surrender me and that she has no regrets . My life has been great - an amazing family adopted me. However , if there’s a chance she’s spent 50 years regretting , or was forced or coerced , if she’s spent even one sleepless night , I want her to know I’m ok .
I believe adoption can be wonderful , but I believe women in post-war era TIL early 70s were often not treated well, not given choices , and shamed - shamed into giving up their babies, and then shamed for giving them up. . And I hate that I had no idea until recently !
My adoptive parents would have welcomed this search .
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