Could somebody please explain the difference between adoptee rights activists and anti-adoption activists?

Question

I'm sure they are not the same thing. Thank you very much :)

Answer 1

I think sometimes the boundaries overlap, but from what I can tell, adoptee rights activists are people who believe that adoption is a good thing in some cases, but adoption reform needs to take place.  That reform can be various things depending on the person, but a big one is to take out all the money that is involved in a lot of adoptions.  Anti-adoption activists usually say the majority of adoption is a bad thing, and should be ended, and adoption is one of the worst-case scenarios.

I may be wrong, but from what I can tell that is pretty much the difference.  A lot of the time though it sounds like they are fighting for the same thing.

Answer 2

"Adoptee rights activists" has a positive connotation.  I'd say that "adoptee rights activists" are not against adoption per se, but see the need for reform and open records for adoptees.  

"Anti-adoption activists" has a negative connotation.  Anti adoption activists may see the need for reform and open records, but are against adoption.  The "anti" in the label is bound to put some people off.

Answer 3

I don't really know what the difference is.  I only know that I am NOT anti-adoption and yet I feel like I am constantly being painted with that brush simply because I have issues with ethics and regulations in adoption.  AND because I spoke out about how horrendous I think it is to try to sidestep the system and troll for a baby online in the guise of "love".

Ok, I'm sorry but some people are really good at playing victims here. It seems many here can dish it out just fine but can't seem to take the heat when it comes back on them.

This was written by someone about "anti adoption advocates":

"You are a bunch of n***s, who should have been sterilized at birth. "

And this was chosen as best answer!

Are you kidding me?

Heck yes, I reported this.

It is offensive on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin!

And can you imagine the hullabaloo that would have occurred had someone on the "anti-adoption" side had said that to someone considering adoption?

I think everyone should take a deep breath, step away from their computers and realize that we are all REAL people here with valid experiences.

All of us.

Answer 4

As far as I can tell it is who is doing the describing that is the  difference.

For some reason many people are terrified at the idea of adoptees having any rights, saying, "hey wait a minute, something is not right here"  I think it is because despite all the propaganda that adoption is a win-win-win situation, we know on some base level that it is really scary to think of being separated from your family, that biological ties are strong.

People feel really sorry for infertile people, I do too, and want to believe they can be fixed with adoption.

So  they try to discredit anyone who has an issue with adoption, or thinks it should be to serve children and not  infertile people, and sometimes I do believe it is, but all too often it separates capable mothers from their children.

I have been called all kinds of things for talking about my experience with adoption.

I have "broken people's hearts"

because I don't like being adopted.

Answer 5

Hi from what I have noticed is simple

Adoptee rights activists come here with a positive attitude with clear goals of educating everyone else on the need for adoption reform. They are respectful and intelligent. I have met a few of the here and I as an adoptive father visit every one of their sites and listen to ever thing they say with hopes of bettering my son's life. Including Ba$tard Nation which I and my wife are reading right now.  Adpotee's and adoptive parents (I am both) benefit from them being here.

I am not sure there is a such thing as anti- adoption activists but here goes. They are not here to educate, or inform the rest of us they are belittling and mean. They thumbs down and report those of us who have had happy experiences as adoptive children and adoptive parents. from what I have seen most are adooptee's who have never delt with abandonment issues surronding their adoption.

I and more than a few others consider them more troll like than people actually participating in YA and unfortunatly for adoption reform activists because they some of what they say is the some people get confused and blend the 2 thinking that all adopton reform activists are that way and ignore them or block them.

So some advice from someone who had never heard of either until a few months ago I would suggest to EVERY adoption reform avtivist to seperate themselves from the pack. In the long run if what you are hoping to acheive is to educate than we need to hear you and people will choose to not listen if you associate yourself with people who mud-sling..  It is very similer to the saying if you hang out with pigs your gonna get covered in $hit.

Answer 6

Anti-adoption activists say that adoption is so bad that any pregnancy that is not wanted should end in abortion. That is, the death of the fetus is preferable to a life of adoption in all cases. They employ rhetoric and only use extreme examples. If anyone does not agree with them or questions them, they are simply wrong or mentally ill. All black and white with no gray areas whatsoever.

I think that adoptee rights activists might include most of the people here including birth parents and adoptive parents. They would like to see more ethical adoptions, more counseling prior to a birth mother making a decision, more agency regulation, open birth records, more adoptive parent training in regards to parenting an adopted child, and more open adoptions with continuing contact with birth families. They would like to see less adoptions in general as well.