Adoption can be lengthy, overwhelming, and heart wrenching for anyone. But add that you are a celebrity getting public attention AND adopting as a single woman. Those factors can add a whole other dimension to the process.
Madonna recently opened up in an interview about the adoption of four of her children from Africa. The most recent were twins she adopted this past winter. Madonna visited Africa several times and fell in love with Africa and the country of Malawi. During these visits, she became aware of all the children that were in need and felt called to adopt. She first adopted her son in 2008, her daughter in 2009, and her twins earlier this year. She also had two biological children prior to adopting.
But none of the adoptions went smoothly. She received negative publicity during her first adoption, people stating she “kidnapped” her son and some even saying that her son would have been better off to stay in the orphanage. During another adoption, the judge told her she wasn’t fit to parent a child as a single mother. Fortunately, she was able to get that overturned in court.
In an additional article, Madonna describes adoption: “It’s inexplicable. It’s like saying, ‘Why do you fall in love with the people you fall in love with?’ You look into the eyes of somebody, you feel their soul, you feel touched by them- that’s it.”
We tend to think that celebrities always have an “easier path to follow,” they get the red carpet on television. Madonna experienced a lot of negative feedback during her adoption process, but did not back down. Her story is inspirational to people going through the adoption process; to pursue and not give up. We need celebrities, such as Madonna and Sandra Bullock, to voice their stories to encourage others that are experiencing frustration during the adoption process.
