November is National Adoption Month.
I've been a fan of adoption for quite some time now. In fact, long before I ever started blogging.
Over the last 3 years, though, I've discovered that there are A LOT of things about adoption that I didn't know. Also, that there are many misconceptions about adoption. These misconceptions cause people to talk negatively about it, dismiss it as an option, and to (sometimes unknowingly) hurt those who choose to be a part of it.
And that is SAD. So very sad.
Let's NOT be these people.
And, while we are not being these people, let's learn about Positive Adoption Language.
Go.
*Positive Adoption Language
The words we use when talking about adoption can send unintended messages. When writing about or discussing adoption, please consider using language from the Preferred Terms column.
Negative Terms Preferred Terms
Gave up her child for adoption Placed her child for adoption
Real parent; natural parent Birth parent, biological parent
Adoptive parent Parent
His adopted child His child
Illegitimate Born to unmarried parents
Adoptee Child who was adopted
To keep To parent
Adoptable child; available child Waiting child
Foreign adoption International adoption
Track down parents Search
Unwanted child Child placed for adoption
Is adopted Was adopted
*Taken from itsaboutlove.org
4 comments:
I teach classes on adoption and I do a whole section on positive adoption language. Awww....I am going to miss being an adoption social worker. Bummer.
Sara, you rock. I miss you guys, we really want to come see you. And Adoption is awesome!
What is the deal with people saying things like that?
When Justin and I were in our 6th-ish year of trying for kids, with no luck but a lot of pain and disapointment. WE finally greived our way through our lose and began to fill out our adoption applications which was hard enough as it is,... So one night at enrichment, I was talking to a friend who had a child out of wedlock at 17ish (now in her 40's)? She knew we were looking into adoption and she told me point blank that I could never love her child as much as she could, and her mother who was with her said the same. I was shocked.
I would have liked to said, Actually your right, yeah, after wanting and trying for this child for years and years I could love your child even more. But that would have been rude too.
Annie, what a great post! Thank you!
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