The following is a letter sent in support of Legislation S111 which is up for review next week in North Carolina:
Dear Senator Clodfelter,
I am writing to you today in response to proposed legislation S111 to allow adopted adults in the state of North Carolina access to their original birth certificates. My experience is unique in that I am both an adoptee and a biological parent. It is my sincere hope that you will support this legislation to allow adopted adults access to the information that every other citizen of North Carolina has. I reunited with my biological family ten years ago, and my birth son two years ago, so I have no interest in this legislation passing for reunion purposes. What I do find extremely prejudicial is that even now, after reunion, I am not allowed to have access to this document. It may seem unimportant to non adopted persons, but to me it is a part of my identity and to be told at 36 years of age that an unknown clerk in an office can see it but I can not is beyond demeaning.
I would also like to share, that as a biological parent I never asked for, nor was promised confidentiality. I was sent to a maternity home in 1987 where on several occasions’ news media, adoptive parents, and others looking to start maternity homes were introduced to us and given tours of the home. The BBC filmed a documentary which I participated in and the PTL Show also did interviews with several of us and showed the interviews on their daytime show. Relinquishment papers are not sealed until an adoption is finalized, if a child is not adopted then there is an open public record of the relinquishment. There have been several cases of children being in foster care, unknown to the relinquishing parent, for years before being adopted. So the alleged promise of confidentiality on behalf of the biological parent does not apply in those cases.
I would like to also point out that prior to the 1930’s adoption records were not sealed. The original intention for sealing records was to protect the child from the stigma of illegitimacy. We have experienced a social revolution in this country that no longer harbors negative stereotypes of illegitimacy. Adopted persons are not viewed negatively because of their beginnings in this life. It does not prevent them from attending prestigious schools, gaining successful employment, or impact their social standing in the community. The original intent of sealing records reflected the social beliefs of the time (over 70 years ago) and our current laws should reflect the social beliefs of our time. A quote from Marcy Axnes, adoption author, writes in Painful Lessons, Loving Bonds;
“If we didn’t find (adoption) so contemptible, so laced with shame, why would our laws be so vehemently constructed to protect everyone from the shame returning to their doorsteps?”
There is no shame in being adopted; most of us never feel a hint of shame until we attempt to access our original birth certificates. At that point we are met with contempt and secrecy by state employees who have complete control of our information. When we have adoptive mom on one arm, and birth mom on the other, and walk into the records office we are rebuffed. Having both sides support our efforts to have access to our original birth information is not good enough for the state. We must spend money on legal fees and take up valuable court time to attempt to have our records unsealed often without success. The process of wanting to know is what is considered shameful today, not the origins of our beginning on this earth.
This is not an issue of finding people but an issue of adults having access to information that is readily available to every other citizen. It should not matter why they want that information; the reasons are so varied I could not begin to cover them here. Reunions occur everyday on daytime talk shows and through private investigators who charge thousands of dollars. Keeping records sealed does not prevent reunions from happening, it just drives people underground.
The primary fact is that adopted persons are treated as perpetual children in regards to their birth information. The majority of the general population believes adopted adults should have access to their original birth certificates. I call upon you sir, to help enact a change, which would restore the inalienable right of adopted adults to have access to their original birth information. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Heather W
Charlotte, NC
Here are some links to more information regarding this issue:
http://www.finitesite.com/paceswny/articles/openrecords.pdf Tim Burton an adoptive parent and reunited adoptee discusses the open records debate
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/chs/order/58update.shtml The state of Oregon vital statistics information regarding Measure 58
http://www.txcare.org/surveyab/stats/adoptionrecord_ssl.html Cornell University research regarding adoptive parents supporting open records
http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/research/2006_11_birthparent_wellbeing.php Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute report regarding safeguarding the rights and well-being of birth parents in the adoption process
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