Blogpost 6 (transracial adoption)

I do not know much about transracial adoption but, since I myself am Asian and probably have similar experiences as transracial adoptees like how I well I can speak English but, I am not adopted. Or assimilating to American culture while I learn less and less of my own culture.

The con’s of transracial adoption first is that love is colorblind (Wright 2006, 28). Some people believe that love is all a person needs. Adoptive parents do their best to raise their child. In other cases love is not enough. I am sure that transracial adoptees are very happy that they don’t have to live without a home and loving parents. But, there are challenges. If the adoptive mom does teach her how to be black does she only teach about all the good things about being black? I mean I would not want to tell my black daughter that society thinks blacks are ugly. Secondly, few blacks are capable of the adoption process. “The emphasis on high income, educational achievement, residential status and other accoutrements of a white middle class life style eliminates black applicants by the score (Bremner 1974, 780).” I think it’s fair that whites should be able to adopt transracial adoptees because they have the right to and because the children deserve to have a home and a family. It would be a problem if the children were only meant to be adopted by blacks because the quantity is few and most do not qualify. Thirdly, that transracial adoption damages children of color, leading to low self esteem, identity crisis, and difficulties relating to their communities of origin (Oparah, Shin, and Trenka 2006, 4). This holds true in the story of the girl who wrote in her diary, “It’s a good thing I’m smart because no one is ever going to marry me (Wright 2006, 27).” It is difficult for both the child and the adoptive parents.  Each of them is trying to comfort and protect one another.

The pro’s of transracial adoption is that these adoptees do get a loving family and home. “Critics have pointed to the large number of children of color awaiting families, arguing that permanency is far more important than race (Oparah, Shin, and Trenka 2006, 5).” Sometimes adoptees get the best of both worlds. “…advocates of transracial adoption depict transracial adtopive families as sites of hope for a multicultural utopia (4).” This is a way to overcome racism, inequality, injustice and, to connect with families and communities. I would like to discuss more on things that are a must for adoptive parents to teach transracial adoptees. 

-Ka L.