[Aaron's Note: This is a guest post from my mom, Bonnie. As you might guess, international adoption is an issue near and dear to both of us. She wrote it as a student in a college English class, and received an excellent grade for it, I might add. Enjoy. ]

The woman’s rights movement along with the civil rights movement has impacted the progression of adoption guidelines. The policies that govern adoption are constantly evaluated and adjusted as the society and culture change. As is common in society, everyday assumptions are eventually questioned. One such assumption, which has been in debate for over forty years, is the adoption practice of race matching. Race matching was eliminated in the United States in 1994 by the passing of the Multiethnic Placement Act, but still the controversy continues (Jennings 560). The consideration of one’s race should not be a determining factor in the adoption process because all children, regardless of their color, need a family. These children thrive and overcome obstacles when placed in permanent, loving homes.

What motivates a person to open his or her loving home to someone who is not their biological child? There are many different motivating factors throughout the course of the adoption process. Often these factors will develop and change with time and circumstances. Infertility is frequently the key that unlocks the adult’s thinking to explore the option of adoption. Women might be moved to adopt by their desire to love a child. One adoptive mother stated, “We had so much to give. We just wanted to share our life and our love” (Jennings 565).

One hundred years ago childless couples were motivated to adopt so they might have the required help on their farm. Children were a natural part of the family’s work force. In today’s culture, numerous couples choose to remain childless. Often the catalyst in adopting the orphaned child is rooted in a moral conviction. Patricia Jennings found that religion was a motivating factor in several adoptions. Faith created a common understanding of race relations that allowed parents to freely choose to adopt across racial boundaries. This personal faith was carried over into their relationship with their children (575).

Much of the debate in transracial adoption is rooted in the conclusion that white adoptive parents could not have pure motives. This conclusion is based on the lack of white children available for adoption. This is an argument from ignorance. It is true there are more children of color available for adoption than white children. When classifying children in the foster care system as “special needs” white children need to be over ten years old. African American and biracial children are considered “special needs” if they are over three years old (Jennings 565). However the purity of someone’s motives in the adoption process is not provable.

Adoption, a permanent and loving home, is a better option for children than foster care, which is temporary and emotionally distant. Most experts agree that the foster care system needs significant reform. There is a lack of available homes and consequently children are separated from siblings and moved frequently. Repeatedly they are returned to their biological home and removed again when there is new evidence of abuse. Many of these children fall through the cracks of the system and horror stories abound (“Foster Care” 1, 2, 6, 7). Foster care can never offer the security that adoption offers. Children naturally want to attach to a foster parent figure, only to be eventually separated and left psychologically wounded during these formative years. The foster parents have little incentive to emotionally invest in the child because they know the situation is temporary. Foster parents can also be financially motivated by the compensation that the state pays them for providing this service.

The adoptive parent’s altruistic motives can be partially proven by examining what adoption entails. At this point in history, adoption is toward the child’s advantage, not the parents. There are classes that are required and fees to be paid by the adoptive parent. Financial compensation is often given to the birth mother when an infant is being adopted. The adoptive parents are rarely compensated. In 1996, President Clinton supported a law that provided families a $5,000 tax credit for adopting a child (“Foster Care” 4). This is a small fraction of the cost of adopting and raising a child into adulthood. While the tax credit promotes adoption, it certainly isn’t significant enough to be a determining factor.

Adoption is an adult’s choice to legally invest permanently in an orphaned child, both emotionally and financially. There is no guarantee of any return on this type of high risk investment and yet people still choose to adopt. Fiona Graham, a white mother of two biracial children says, “I absolutely know we did the right thing and you have to consider children’s need for love and security and everything else comes after that. If I didn’t think that, my kids would still be in care” (McVeigh 1).

A new report, released in May 2008 by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, has fueled the transracial adoption controversy. The institute’s executive director, Adam Pertman, observes that in America race is still a factor. The report suggests that social workers be allowed to take race into consideration. However, this is circular reasoning: to take race into consideration because race is still a factor. Professionals and lay people alike disagree with Mr. Pertman. They know this will open the door for the United States to regress back to race matching. Race matching will result in African American children staying in foster care even longer than they currently do. Both sides agree adoption is the better choice (“Good homes come in all colors” 1).

As the racial climate improves in America, there are more young adults voicing their opinion. In 2006, Theresa Cameron wrote to the editor of The New York Times: “By the time I was freed for adoption, I was known as hard to place. I was an older black child. At the time, black children were available only to black families, yet none wanted me. I would have been thrilled to live with a loving family of any color. I applaud recent changes that give black children the chance to live with white families, rather than having them linger in foster care” (“Our Beautiful Racial Adoptions” 2).

The majority of Americans would agree with Mr. Pertman’s comment that race in America is still a factor. However, racial discrimination is not the answer. Racism is not simply an American issue between whites and blacks. The lack of tolerance for someone who looks different from oneself exists in all countries. In Afghanistan racial discrimination is determined by the shape of nose. Racial discrimination in any form cannot be condoned.

The Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) was passed in response to the racial discrimination that was occurring in the adoption process. If a placement agency receives federal funding, MEPA prohibits them from any discrimination in placing, or denying / delaying an adoption on the basis of race or national origin of the adoptive family or the child (Clemetson 5). Discrimination occurs when people are judged on who they are versus what they do. Lee Strasburger, from Belmont, Mass. said it well in his letter to the editor: “Americans have been adopting Asian and South American children for decades, so why are black children considered any different? Surely adopting a child from Vietnam would have a greater sociocultural adjustment than a child from Alabama. It never ceases to amaze me that educated Americans continue practicing subtle racism as long as they insist on distinguishing the skin color of mankind” (“Our Beautiful Racial Adoptions.” 3)

Humans tend to be comfortable with what is familiar. The transition to openly consider the available children in the adoption process can bring a “racial awakening” and empower women to stand against racism (Jennings 572). Transracial adoption promotes racial understanding, compassion, and tolerance. It forces those in the general public to deal with their personal issues of racial prejudice. In one study it was revealed that some of the white women worried that the adoption of a biracial child would cause strangers to think they had a black husband (Jennings 567). Fiona Graham experienced racism based on this exact assumption. When in public with her two adopted biracial children, she has had racial slurs shouted at her (McVeigh 1). Even though this appears to be a harmful thing, it is actually promoting racial understanding and compassion in Fiona and those who know her.

The straightforward exposure to other races can help society to acquire an appreciation for the beauty of diversity represented in mankind. Opponents of transracial adoption argue that a family resemblance is essential for children to develop properly and learn how to function as a part of their race (Jennings 560). All adoptees, regardless of race, are frustrated with the assumption that all children should look like their parents. This is one of the hurdles of adoption that children must overcome.

The belief that it is essential for a child to be immersed in a family of the same race in order to learn how to function as a part of their race is simply racist. Children need to learn how to function as a part of the human race. The assumption is being made that different racially defined communities have consistent values. People of all races have different values depending on their education, religious views and political affiliations. Children are not born with certain values determined by race. These principles considered most important are developed through imprinting, modeling and socializing. Chris, a young adult, who spent his formative years in many different foster care homes, is bitter about his lack of a family. ‘I was let down. I would have found myself a family if they’d have let me. Now it’s like, “Well that was my childhood. . . that was shit, wasn’t it?” You know, when I was little I didn’t care about colour, I still have no colour – outside I do, but inside, no. They talk about heritage. . . you know I’d rather just have had a mum, thanks – black, white or even blue-dotted’ (McVeigh 4).

The study of transracial adoptees is complicated as race is simply one of many factors that affect a child’s view of themselves. Society will never be colorblind. Assimilation and colorblind approaches have proven to have significant shortcomings (McVeigh 2, 4). For African American children, the higher incident of struggle could also be attributed to their delayed time in the foster care system. Children’s feelings are not necessarily accurate markers of successful adoptions. Feelings are subjective and can change with time and experience. Each child’s situation is unique as they process their feelings about adoption at different ages.

The challenge is how to study the impact of racism on these children as our racist society progresses and improves. When analyzing the complaints of adult transracial adoptees it is difficult to determine their main source. Their feelings of “not fitting in” could be a result of the fact that many are biracial (McVeigh 2). Transracial adoption can be a factor, but racism in their society is likely the real culprit. These children do need to learn how to function as a part of their race because race can still be a factor to some in America. Their heritage should be explored and embraced as a part of their personal story.

Adopted children can thrive and overcome obstacles when placed in permanent, loving homes, regardless of the color of their parents. With the right education and encouragement, transracial adoptees can overcome any racial hurdle along with the other challenges that adoptive children face. They have the potential to become healthy, productive adults. A powerful testimony comes from Rachel Noerdlinger, who works with Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. Time and experience changed her opinion about transracial adoption. “I had changed my views after having experienced the hardships of being a single mother…Some of my previous grievances seem ungrateful now that I have evolved…The reality is that there are too many children languishing in foster care and the world would be a better place if there were homes for all of them… adopting on the premise of love is a wonderful place to start but to prepare their child for life in later years they must expose them to diversity and their own ethnicity and culture” (Noerdlinger 1).

It is impossible to know exactly what will be important to your child, whether they are biological or adopted. Humans are very unique and what is noteworthy to one may hold little significance to another. A number of transracial adoptees have been exposed to the culture of their birth parents and countries, and do not have any interest in it. They consider their primary culture to be American. Children will all turn out differently depending on their genetic disposition, their environment and their personal choices. Some will say “love was not enough” (McVeigh 2). These are the risks of the brave task of parenting. Yet love can cover a multitude of parental error in spite of your child’s unique needs.

Support for parents by the adoption agency is becoming increasingly available. Some have annual picnics and camps that allow transracially adopted children the opportunity to meet each other. These events are a valuable resource for the family. Today multicultural adoptive families try to live in diverse areas and attend schools or churches that have various cultures represented. Occasionally situations appear that seem too good to be true. The Liebls, a white couple, were chosen to adopt Matthew by his African American birth parents. Previously, this black couple had relinquished two other children for adoption and had chosen a black family, the Hilliards. The two adoptive families have become friends and have decided to raise the children as siblings. They live in nearby suburbs and have purposed to get together once a month. The Hilliards are happy to be a resource to keep Matthew connected with his heritage (Clemetson 4). These situations indicate a cultural change that is accommodating the needs of the transracial adoptee while promoting understanding and tolerance for all races.

Even though the Donaldson Institute report suggests that the MEPA law be tweaked to allow social workers to take race into consideration, it recognizes that transracial adoption alone does not generate psychological trouble in children. It does emphasize the need for agencies to support adoptive parents with the necessary resources to help their child over such hurdles as discrimination. This support needs to continue through the difficult teenage years. The report encourages the state to seek out more black adoptive parents, but does conclude that children should be placed as quickly as possible, regardless of race (“Good homes come in all colors” 1). The past has shown that race matching and the swift placement of children into permanent, loving homes are incompatible goals.

Joy Carter, a woman with Nigerian heritage, was a transracial adoptee. Born in the early 1970’s, she grew up in a home with white parents and two white brothers. Her journey to adulthood is a story filled with joy and heartache. During her preteen years the family moved into an area where racial prejudice abounded. She then began a downward spiral, struggling with self-hatred and anorexia. Somehow she was able to discern between the struggle to be a family and the struggle with racism. Joy writes, “I’m so proud of my parents. It’s brilliant they adopted me. The huge catalogue of issues I had…well, that’s when my parents came into their own. I had parents with me through thick and thin. I had a tough childhood. Perfect families don’t exist: there are divorces and new partners and fighting and fall-outs. You don’t see colour at home, you see parents who love you. . . Adoption is a very precious thing. To choose to take on someone you don’t know anything about is quite something” (McVeigh 5).

Along with equal rights for women and African Americans, it is time for all children to have the equal chance to be a part of a family. No longer can America consider allowing subtle racism to become a determining factor in adoption. It takes courage to move forward in society and adopt a child of another race. It is truly an investment in the future.

Works Cited

Clemetson, Lynette, Ron Nixon, and Sabrina I. Pacifici. “Breaking Through Adoption’s Racial Barriers.” New York Times 17 Aug. 2006, Late Edition (East Coast): A.1. ProQuest National Newspapers Core. ProQuest. Web. 23 Apr. 2009.

“Foster Care.” Issues & Controversies On File 23 May 2003. Facts On File News Services Web. 27 Apr. 2009.

“Good homes come in all colors.” Boston Globe 31 May 2008, A.14. ProQuest Newsstand ProQuest. Web. 27 Apr. 2009.

Jennings, Patricia K. “THE TROUBLE WITH THE MULTIETHNIC PLACEMENT ACT: AN EMPIRICAL LOOK AT TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION.” Sociological Perspectives 49.4 (2006): 559-582. Research Library. ProQuest. Web. 27 Apr. 2009.

McVeigh, Tracy. “Focus: Adopted Children: Multicultural Britain: Love is not enough for black children who wait in care: The majority of children awaiting adoption in Britain are black, Asian or mixed-race while most available adopters are white. The issue of ‘transracial’ adoption is hugely controversial with experts divided on what is best for the young and vulnerable. Chief Reporter Tracy McVeigh investigates.” The Observer [London (UK)] 6 Jul 2008, late ed.: 24. ProQuest Newsstand. ProQuest. Web. 27 Apr. 2009.

Noerdlinger, Rachel. “I changed my mind about transracial adoption.” New York Amsterdam News 28 June 2007, late ed.: 13. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2009.

“Our Beautiful Racial Adoptions.” New York Times 21 Aug. 2006, Late Edition (East Coast): 16. Banking Information Source. ProQuest. Web. 27 Apr. 2009.

© 2009 Bonnie Klein. All rights reserved. Contact for permission to reprint.