Adoption Language Quagmire
Thank you to the mom who emailed me late last night and clued me into the various issues at play in the recent adoption language debates. That information, plus reading and re-reading the original post and comments, and also an excellent discussion of the issue on Soul of Adoption, has clarified this complicated situation for me.
Within each adoption experience - first mother or father, adopted person, adoptive parent - are ranges of experiences and varied points of view. These bring each individual to a different place on adoption issues, personally and politically. And for those of us coming from another experience, the undercurrents may be invisible.
I realize that the specific issue at hand is beyond me - it's not mind to comment on or to judge. And I come back to my starting point about adoption language - it's all about respect for the individual.
In light of the fact that there are so many opinions within each experience, this may be easier said than done. But I'll keep trying.
Within each adoption experience - first mother or father, adopted person, adoptive parent - are ranges of experiences and varied points of view. These bring each individual to a different place on adoption issues, personally and politically. And for those of us coming from another experience, the undercurrents may be invisible.
I realize that the specific issue at hand is beyond me - it's not mind to comment on or to judge. And I come back to my starting point about adoption language - it's all about respect for the individual.
In light of the fact that there are so many opinions within each experience, this may be easier said than done. But I'll keep trying.
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