Do you think adoption records should be open to all adopted people over 18? Why or why not?

Question

Do you think adoption records should be open to all adopted people over 18? Why or why not?

Answer 1

We deserve the right to know our parents names - just like EVERYONE else.

Answer 2

Yes, I think they should. Whether or not the adopted person chooses to access this information is her or her own choice. But the adopted person should have the right to access information that *belongs* to him (or her)!

Answer 3

What if the birth parents want to remain anonymous? Don't you think they should have that right if they so desire? How would you like to have given up a baby for adoption and then promised privacy, only to find out years later that person not only knows your name but also wants to contact you?

Answer 4

Yes, I do.  I am an American citizen and I should have the same access to my own records any other citizen has.

My adoptive parents agree.

Answer 5

Yes, people should be able to know their biological roots.  However, caution must be taken when contacting biological family members.  These biological parents may not want to be contacted.  Their rights, as well as the adopted individual, must be taken into consideration.  I am all for contact, but people need to have realistic expectations of what they might find in their biological history.

Answer 6

No, because the birth parent(s) may not want to be contacted. They have a right to privacy.

Answer 7

Yes of course!  sealing the birth records of adoptees and not the rest of the population is discrimination and a violation of human and civil rights

Adoptees deserve to be treated equally to non-adopted people, anything else deems them as second class citizens and further stigmatizes adoption

The rest of the civilized world has opened records to adult adoptees and the world has not ended!.  America is living in the dark ages.

Answer 8

FABULOUS QUESTION!!!!

Yes, I do think adoption records should be open to all adoptees over 18.  This information is the fundamental right of every human being.  Adoptees are no exception.  Everybody has the right to know his/her original parents and whatever info is on the birth certificate, which is available to all other non-adoptees. It is a fundamental human right.  Period.

Answer 9

Yes.  Everyone has the right to know where their biological roots lie.  

One of the bigger obstacles I had to get around was the fact that my child might never know things about his origins that everyone should have a right to know.  

I've placed my information on several websites in case he wants to know.

I think every adoptee should have access to their original birth certificate if they want it.

Re. anonymity of the birthmother... Why, after 18 years, would anyone still want to keep this hidden?

Answer 10

Yes, adopted children NEED to know their medical history, if even just that much was available on a continually updated basis than that is better than what most have at the moment.

Answer 11

Absolutely!

Adult adoptees should have the rights of all other citizens.

In Australia we've had open records since the early 90's.

It has not meant that there has been a sudden increase of attacks on first families - or on adoptive families.

Any one who argues such things hasn't really thought things through.

Having access to the information doesn't mean that adoptees WILL contact their first family.

No matter if they wish to search or not - it should be their right to have the information as it pertains to them. It's their information - no one else's.

Having the information will assist in all adoptees finding out who they are and where they came from.

Something that all people should be able to know.

Answer 12

I was adopted at birth in 1967.  Closed & sealed records.  I just turned 40.  I would love to know some health information.  I did get my non-identifying file, but no health info listed.  My wife and I have adopted two children (2000 & 2003) - we have full medical information from them.  So.... to me I would like to see everything. I can live without the actual birth parent names.

Answer 13

I know very little about the adoption process... I'm sure there a lot of different circumstances, and it could cause a lot of pain for some people, but it seems like it should be the right of any adopted ADULT to see the records. Adoption is more popular now than ever, it doesn't seem like it should be a big secret like it might have been many years ago.

Answer 14

Yes, because it is our right to have a chance to know who our biological parents are. We should have the choice to either search or not to search. A biological mother could still refuse to have contact, if the child contacts her. But we should have that opportunity to find out for ourselves. I cannot agree with ashj_121 answer. Her reasoning is along the lines of those in the anti-adoption crowd that are against open records. Which is very sad. Bottom line the choice for a relationship should be up to the adopted child and the biological mother. No third party should of ever interfered with that.

edit---

Thanks for the answer BPD Wife. I appericate that you care for our feelings as adoptees! =)

Answer 15

Yes because their civil rights are currently being violated in this country.  I am an adoptee who has fought for her country, who is also married to a veteran, who is also responsible enough to deliver mail for my country.  I am also responsible enough to raise my children, work for a major communications company, pay taxes and so forth.  I am not responsible enough to see my original birth certificate.  It is a document that records MY birth no one elses.  The state is holding my OBC in seizure based on lies and myths put out by the adoption industry.  If adoption has be potential to create  harm then the state should explain why adoption is allowed to be  practiced.  Are adoptive parents, adoptees,and natural parents harmful to each other?  Its our lives.  Its time we take control back.

Answer 16

No because that infringes on the adopter's rights of remaining anonymous.  I believe that both parties have a right to not want to find the other, for emotional or social reasons.  And opening the files will make that impossible. There are those who want to leave that part of their life behind and it would not be in their best interest to have that child contact them (ie: what about a rape victim who carried the pregnancy...)

Answer 17

It's very hard to say. Every adoption has it's own story and circumstances. Birth parents make a very hard decision and only want what's best for their child...and sometimes it means staying out of the picture. If all parties are in agreement, then I think it's find for records to be open after age 18. I have a friend that placed 2 babies for adoption and it was by far the hardest thing she ever did. The adoption agency has her information so if the kids want to find her they can. but she's leaving it up to them. she doesn't want to interfere in their lives.

Our son is adopted and we will let him decide at 18 if he wants to contact his birthfamily.

To Ki: I don't think birthparents are tying to get out of anything...they just want what's best for the child and that's not always them.

Answer 18

Absolutely.

Pure bred dogs have a family history of names, dates, and a paper trail of their lineage.

Shouldn't ALL humans have the same rights as some dogs???

Answer 19

Absolutely!!!!

Answer 20

For me the question is NOT why records should be opened.  The BIG question is why they should ever be sealed!

Answer 21

Imagine for a moment that you were told you had not right to know that your mother had breast cancer or your father's side of the family carried a serious genetic trait that should be closely monitored in order to prevent severe birth defects in your own children.  Imagine getting sick and going to the doctors where the only answer you can give them is I don't know because I'm adopted.   Because I'm adopted I'm told I have no right.  It's different than choosing to ignore or choose not to seek out your history.  It costs adoptee's 3 to 5 times as much in medical costs because we have no access to our biological histories.  

So for me the answer is simple I do think that records should be open, however there should be some safe guards put in place.  Those would be too long to explain here but personally I don't think 18 years olds are emotionally mature enough to handle circumstances that might be very hard to take.   I do think that there should be a process to make sure it's safe the information be disclosed.

Answer 22

Yes!  Everyone else has access to their real birth certificate, and so should a person who is adopted.  If their birth parents wants nothing to do with them, then they should tell their child to his/her face.  There is also the fact that we all need access to our family medical history.  If I or my child became sick, I would want to know what my doctor needs to test for first.  

Birth parents get off the hook to easily.  They get out of raising their kid, they don't have to pay support or even acknowledge they ever had a child.  It doesn't matter if they were broke, raped, didn't want another baby, etc., after 18 years, the child deserves the truth about their origins.

Answer 23

Yes I do. I am adopted and I soon get married. I have no health information about my family. I would like to find this out so I can know if there are any genetic diseases that I could pass down to my children. And because I have a right to know.

Answer 24

Yes,I do my husband is adopted and   would love to have the medical parts of it.Like everyone said when you go for your doc appointment if something is wrong you have to say don't know adopted that hurts,I think that the parents names should be known at the same time if the birth mom chooses to with hold that well than let it be.It would be great to have that option

Back in the day it was such a shame to get pregnant out of wedlock the woman were hidden most of the the time there family and friends never even knew that there was baby the mother just went away to visit a friend or some other story was made up it is not like that these days the adoption laws that we are forced to go by were originally written so far back times have changed so I think the laws need to change with it

Answer 25

Yes.

Period.  

People confuse open records with contact.  Allowing adoptees access to their records is different than adoptees contacting first mothers.  This confusion leads to a number of bad arguments.

People believe (mistakenly) that there is a right of anonymity.  There isn't.  No legal promises were made that those who relinquished children would forever remain anonymous.  If first mothers really had a right to anonymity, then searching should be made illegal.  But it isn't.  Indeed, by keeping the records sealed, the state forces adoptees to search for first mothers simply to find answers to their many questions.

Most importantly, this is a civil rights issue.  Only adoptees are denied access to records that EVERY OTHER U.S. CITIZEN has access to.  Adoptees are discriminated against on the basis of a choice made by adults when they were infants and/or children.  If adoption is about the children, then the rights of those children ought to be paramount.  Anyone who believes that adoption is about protecting children should be in favor of their rights.

Answer 26

I believe every effort should be made to encourage open adoptions.  However, I do not believe an adoptee has an inherant right to the names of his/her genetic donors if the donors choose not to provide them.  He/she already has parents, the adoptive ones.  I know they may be curious about their origins, but if the genetic donors truly want to be anonymous, that should be allowed.  I think to do otherwise might encourage more woman to choose abortion over adoption.

That being said, I believe only the genetic donors should have the right to refuse the adoptee their information - and only the adoptee (once he/she turns 18) should have the right to keep his/her information a secret.  Also, some provision must be made for medical concerns.  If a genetic donor wants a sealed anonymous adoption then he/she must be willing to provide the state with his/her medical records on a yearly or bi-yearly basis - along with giving a complete medical history at the time of adoption.  This insures adoptees have access to any truly crucial information.

Answer 27

I believe that when an adoptee turns 18 or even 21, they should be entitled to easy access to their records, if THEY choose.  I believe that it is their choice whether or not to make contact with the bio family (in most cases).

However, I do know that there are sometimes where bio-parents do not want the records open for whatever reason.  It is usually a small percentage, but it does exist.  In these cases, I do believe that an adoptee still should have a right to know "who" their parent is, but that the file should be noted that the parent does not want contact.  If a parent changes their mind in those 18 years, then it would be the parents' responsibility to update the records to provide the information needed to contact them.  

I'm sure I'll get crucified for the answer that I provided, and to be honest, I'm not an adoptee so I cannot speak 100% to their feelings.  But I do know that when my son is ready, I will make every effort that I can to try to help him find his bio parents if HE chooses to.  I think that it is important as an adoptive parent to support his choice.

edit - I agree with Healing's answer too.  She has made me rethink my thoughts - it should be the adoptee's right and then the birth mom can say no at that time.  Thanks for making me reconsider my thoughts, Healing!  Email me sometime.  : )

Answer 28

Yes, I think adoptions records should be open to adoptees 18 and over.

A parent is no longer financially or physically responsible for their child at 18.

So an 18 year old should be able to easily find out the information and birth parents should just deal with their choice of placement and all involved adults should act with kindess, and be thankfull of life.