MORE STEW: "Medical Adoptions" and "Saving Adoption"

Bastardette is on several email lists where Medical Adoptions (see previous entry) is being discussed. Adoptees and fellow travelers continue to find the page brilliant; the professional adoption class continues to dither in its stew. Some JCICS (Joint Council on International Child Services) agencies reportedly have complained about the site to the FBI and other “authorities.” If foreigners read the page, they’ll believe long-standing tales that USians adopt baybees for body parts, Of course, this is blatantly untrue. Nobody steals child kidneys and gall bladders–only identities. Ultimately, this grousing is all about “saving adoption” and much of the complaining comes from the same crowd that tried 3 years ago to stick a gag in Masha “for her own good.” Adoption is just such so fragile…Clearly, the “institution” of adoption is much more important than the children it allegedly serves–even victims of sexual violence like Masha or those killed by their “forever families.” And let’s not even look at what it does to grown-up beneficiaries! Do we still need to discuss what the war against adoptee rights is really about? Adoption apparently can only flourish in secrecy. Anything–Masha’s speaking out, a satirical webpage, Who’s Your Daddy?–are clear and present dangers to Continue Reading →

OMNIUM-GATHERUMS: CLOSING OUT 2007

  Well, it’s the last day of the year–or thereabouts–and (surprise!) there’s a lot of things Bastardette didn’t’ get around to writing about. Below are a few thoughts, in no special order, on some of them. A MEETING OF THE MINDS: THE EVAN B. DONALDSON RECORDS CONCLAVE: On December 10 I attended the EB Donaldson’s “conclave” of adoption reform organizations and individual activists in New York City. My critical comments on the EBD report, For the Records: the Restoration of a Right, are published in the Daily Bastardette (November 15, 2007)and in the Bastard Quarterly. I haven’t changed my mind. If anything, I am more critical than I was two months ago. The real importance of the report as far as I’m concerned has been the publicity generated by it and the public discourse that followed. Claud has written a good overall account of the meeting which I recommend you read. I’ll just add a few comments. As a grassroots activist I had my doubts about the meeting. We don’t need no suits! And as the bad guy of records access–the one who won’t take compromise for an answer–I was pretty sure I’d be the minority voice. What fun! I Continue Reading →