I have lived on all sides of the adoption triad. This is a place for adoptees, adoptive families, birth families and those who love us.
Why can't I see my original birth certificate?
Earlier
in the month, I shared my story with the world. Well probably not the world,
but an unknown world of readers, when my memoir, She Named You Donna, was
released. Sharing a story is never easy, sharing a portion of a life. Sharing a story that is fixed within the adoption triad most often involves a web
of secrets. Not just secrets of a time long ago. My adoption was during the
height of, can’t get pregnant, just adopt a baby. Today, of course, it looks
nothing like that. But one thing that hasn’t changed, at least in my state of
Connecticut and my neighboring state of New York, is that the original birth
certificate of an adoptee is a secret; forever. Not
for the adult adoptee’s eyes. How can
we, how can I, begin to assert change in how we view adoption, shedding the secrecy,
when adult adoptees are asked to continue with the notion that life only began
once we were adopted?
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I find this US law unbelievable, it must very difficult to live with for adoptees. Hope your fight for visibility and change will come soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing on #WASO
Hello Sarah, Yes, it is unbelievable that adult adoptees do not have the right to see their own original birth certificates. It is a human and civil right to know this. I think it is time to treat adult adoptees like adults..period. I have the right to my birth certificate and so do my adult children, should we choose.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if my first comment posted or not, so risking duplicating it, I'll write it (or what I remember I wrote) again:
ReplyDeleteWhat can one do if he wants to help other than write my state representative and the governor? Our rep also happens to be my wife's lawyer and her office is walking distance from our house and we live in CT. Stupid stupid law.
I'm happy you did re-post! Governor Malloy signed a bill last summer that will go into effect July 1 allowing Adoptees born AFTER 1983 to obtain their original birth certificates. This is a tremendous accomplishment, but work still has to be done for those born prior. The best way to make a difference is to get in touch with your state representative and let him/her know your views. Here in Connecticut, we are looking at January 2016 for any real change in this area. New York State has just introduced a bill, S03314,for adoptee access for the 2015-2016 Session. It is a slow process, but awareness is key. Access Connecticut is a grassroots organization who is tirelessly working for our rights, you can find them on the web, a great place to start.
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