Mary Gauthier: The Founding clip

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Mary Gauthier is one of the great and grand treasures of AdoptionLand. She recently released a new CD, The Foundling, about…guess what! Below is a video of a live performance of the title song performed by Mary and Tania Elizabeth performed and at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre in June. On her webpage, Mary writes of the adoptee rights movement: There are so many people involved in the Adoptees Rights Movement. There are birth mothers who have grown and changed and come to a place where they want to meet their children, or have lost the chance to meet their own but recognize how valuable the knowledge of origin could be to the children who do seek. There are adoptees who are working together to counteract the shame and deep loss they’ve experienced, and to co-create a world where children are no longer seen as commodities. There are adoptive parents who see in their children their true natures, and honor them by letting the children keep their original names, taking them to where they came from, keeping in contact with birth parents when possible, showing them, quite literally, that their love for them does not hinge on them pretending Continue Reading →

Stylin’ with NCFA: Bow Tie & Pearls Gala for Adoption

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The National Council for Adoption is not a part of the official National Adoption Awareness Month coalition. (I got this from the horse’s mouth!). But it does use November to promote adoption and to fund raise. (Is NAAM about anything else?) This year’s NCFA’s 30th anniversary Bow Tie & Pearls Gala will be held November 18 at The Willard (Bastardette’s all-time favorite hotel- NCFA discount price:$349/night). The cost of gala and room, unfortunately, precludes the possibility of me attending. Bastard Nation’s vast coffers may well have bought the 1999 passage of Measure 58 in Oregon (Bill Pierce says we did, so it must be true), but I think our treasurer might balk at signing off on a $15,000 Gold Sponsor ticket. Not that L-d-S Family Services, who’s coughing up that amount, doesn’t deserve a seat next to me. Or for that matter, Gladney and Bethany who are cheaping out as $5,000 Silver Sponsors. The Silver Sponsor list also includes the awkwardly worded Mr. and Mrs. Robert Parker and Mona Charen. I had to read this several times. Last I knew Mona Charen is Mrs. Robert Parker, not a third party in an open marriage. Charen is a conservative columnist for Continue Reading →

Adoption as a Public Event: Media Perception and the Grayson Wyrembek Case

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I’ve been working on a piece about the Grayson Wyrembek (Vaughn) case, and it’s gotten stalled. In the meantime, a lively discussion on the case developed on the Birth Mother-First Mother Forum. One of the topics up for discussion is media. I wrote a long reply, which got a little convoluted since I had to cut it up in sections to post. The post below is based on that reply, but longer and more detailed. ****** Media is all about perception. I have mixed feelings about media involvement–ie Public Relations–in disputed adoption cases. Not too long ago, adoption was a private affair and those involved were loathe to expose this private affair for public scrutiny. It’s become apparent since Baby Jessica and Baby Dick, (not to mention the Internet), however, that adoption is a public event. Today, getting the media on “your side”when things go wrong is essential to the good public opinion people feel they need in these cases, despite the fact that it has nothing to do with legal outcomes. In a sane world PR would be considered a total waste of time and resources. I don’t like to see little potential adoptees and those already adopted paraded Continue Reading →

Election Day 2010: Adoptee Wins and Losses

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Well, the votes are in and the ballots are counted. We have mostly bad news, but a little bit of good news, too. Good News: Our friend Bobbi Beavers, in her third try, was elected to the Maine House (Dem: Elliot, South Berwick) Congratulations Bobbi! Bobbi who led OBC for ME to victory can be contacted at [email protected] Bad News: Unfortunately, our other Maine friend, Craig Hickman (Dem: Reidfield, Winthrop) lost his race, but created a positive people-centered campaign. You can read Craig gracious statement on the race on his Hickman in the House blog: …I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support, your well-wishes, and your votes. I couldn’t have made such an impression on the people of this district without your help. We ran the best campaign this district has ever seen and we have done a big part to change the conversation… Contact Craig at [email protected] Dave Lenkowski (Rep Chicago) went down in a good and honorable fight. Sneaky Sara, apparently scared of even having an opponent, much less an honest one, pulled out some dirty tricks. I hope to write about this later this month, but am working on Continue Reading →

Columbus Issue 12: Secrets = "More Information" (Not about adoption, but it is)

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Yesterday at rush hour, I stood at the corner of Broad and Front Streets holding a sign Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. No, this was not about adoption, but it was about secrecy in government. No government can thrive without it. Yesterday was about keeping Columbus City Council meetings open to the public. Ohio’s Open Records and Open Meetings Law, collectively known as the Sunshine Law, is one of the best in the country. You can read about it and download here. It has numerous loopholes, most so tiny a gnat can barely fly through. That is, except for the dinosaur-sized adoptee birth certificate exemption, which even the most bleeding heart liberal thinks is hunky dory if it saves just one brave mother from being exposed to her neighbors by her thoughtless bastard. Another big loophole is the executive session where City Council is allowed to go behind closed doors to discuss “sensitive issues” away from public eyes and ears. Sensitive issues like personnel, property purchase, litigation, collective bargaining, security matters–that is, where money deals are cut. political appointments made. and tax payer money is squandered on privilege. In theory these meetings are rare. But in practice… Continue Reading →

Happy Anniversary Alt. Adoption Facebook!

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November 1 marks the first anniversary of the Facebook version of the infamous alt adoption: the birthplace of Bastard Nation and adoption meanness. If you haven’t signed on to AAFB go here. No moderation, no censorship, no lockdown. Thanks to Deer Watson for making it happen. And of course, a very special thanks to Christopher Walken who is always there when we need him.

It’s That Time Again: National Adoption Awareness Month – Day One. Reading Adoption

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Welcome to National Adoption Awareness Month 2010! I’m sure you’ve been as eagerly awaiting the November lollipops and roses, cotton candy and angel wings, and back patting, and pious press clips celebration as much as the Bad Kitties and I have. This year’s emphasis, we’re told, is on “adoption of children currently in foster care.” Bastardette may (or may not) write about the theme, but if I don’t somebody else will. We all know the code. Interestingly, what seems to be the official NAAM page (Mardie Cardwell’s Lifetime Adoptions over-linked page linked above), celebrates newborn relinquishment and includes a queasy video of happy “birth mothers” (one a 2fer adoptee/mom) and adoptive parents grateful for the gifts of other people’s children God has bestowed on them. There is also a crash course in “positive adoption language.” All is moderated by wide-eyed Cardwell. There’s more I could say about this, but I don’t want to encourage her. We’ve always wondered just who needs to be made aware of adoption during “our” month. Certainly not adopted people who lost the right to our birth certificates decades ago and are now treated like ungrateful brats when we demand the return of our obcs. Certainly Continue Reading →

Demons of Adoption 2010: And the winner is…

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DEMONS OF ADOPTION 2010 The votes are in. Your voice has been heard. Pound Pup Legacy is proud to announce the winner of its coveted Demons of Adoption 2010 Award: The Joint Council for International Childrens Services. (JCICS) In each case of widespread corruption in sending countries, JCICS has promoted an agenda to keep the gravy train running. Despite knowledge of child trafficking in countries like Romania, Guatemala, Peru and Vietnam, JCICS maintained the position that closing corrupt programs was not in the best interest of the child. As per item #1 of their own bullet list, this can be translated as: closing corrupt programs was not in the self-interest of the adoption service providers, forming the members of JCICS. In a neck-and-neck race, the runner up is: L-d-S Social Services It is also one of the least transparent agencies operating in the US. It is the only American adoption agency recognized as a church and as a result doesn’t have to file a financial statement with the IRS. The agency is notoriously secretive and little information about its workings reaches the outside world because they only provide services to members of the Mormon church. Please go to the PPL Continue Reading →

Natoinal Adoption Awareness Month is Just Around the Corner!

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Are you gearing up for AdoptionLand’s favorite month, November? I am. I’ll be NaBloPoMoing, that is, blogging every day in November about our favorite subject. I need to do this, not only because I did it last year, but to make up for my Summer of Sloth. It’s fun in a grueling sort of way. Like running a marathon. Please do your part to make official and officious AdoptionLand miserable. Blog (sign up for NaBloPoMo yourself.) write letters, make comments, go on TV and radio march in front of your statehouse, talk to leggies. Remember, folks, this is YOUR month! The rest of the year nobody cares what you have to say. And beware of cotton candy, rainbows, and unicorns!