Blog Post #5 Option #2

Blog Post #5 Option #2

It think that the discussion with both  LT and MG were exceptional additions to our learning experience. I felt like I received more of the adopted children’s perspective than I did from any other speaker or reading. It was interesting to hear more about their views on closed and open adoption.

After listening to both speakers on Wednesday, I believe my view on open adoption has changed dramatically. It was truly eye opening when LT explained how everyone gets to have a say in the decision of adoption except for the child involved. When she mentioned her idea on how she thinks the process could improve, I agreed. I think that birth and adoptive parents make a decision when they sign the adoption papers and that they should be bound by that, whether closed or open. On the other hand an adopted child should make their decision on the matter once they become an adult, since their voice could not be heard during the original signing. This will allow the child to make their own decision which is will be in their own best interest.

I found MG’s story to be just as eye opening as LT’s. MG’s tale demonstrated a stark contrast to Steve and Jen’s reunion. It honestly made me a bit sad that MG was pushed from every side to do what she ultimately did not want to do, which only led to her being stuck in an extremely difficult situation. It seems as though her relationship with her birth mother has only complicated her life. She was perfectly content with her adoptive family and spoke of her childhood fondly. MG’s birth mother wanted another family out of the relationship where as MG did not; MG simply wanted to please her adoptive mother. Anita Allen states in her work Open Adoption is not for Everyone, “it remains plausible and morally legitimate to understand newborn adoption as configuring separate, new families altogether” which is what I believe is what MG would have preferred and what would have benefitted her most (Allen, pg. 52). Though there are some rare situations where I believe open adoption can work well for all involved, the majority seems to end in a story similar to MG’s. I believe that overall, closed adoptions work best when an infant is being adopted as long as accurate medical records are available to the adopted individual. 

Julie Thurmes