Interracial Adoption

The mind quickly races to Brad and Angelina, Madonna and Lionel Ritchie when it comes to the subject of interracial and intercultural adoptions. The mind does this, not because they are doing anything unique, but because their high profiles trigger an interesting debate amongst many of us. This debate revolves around whether or not white should adopt black, black should adopt white, Asian should adopt Hispanic and so on; a debate that finds those who adamantly are opposed to this practice insisting that such exercises potentially deprive the child of a crucial part of their identity.

 

My lovely friend Brittany asked me what my opinion was on this subject the other day as we bantered on Facebook chat; intrigued by the question and summing up my thoughts as expediently as possible I said, “I have no problem with it at all”. My logic behind it was rather simple. Considering how backlogged the adoption system is, considering how many of these children are coming from abusive homes and tragic situations (rape, molestation, beatings, drug addict parents etc), considering how some of these children were dropped off on doorsteps and in dumpsters, considering how many of these kids were unplanned and unwanted, considering how hard it is for many of these children to find healthy, loving homes, the fact that anyone would have a problem with a child being adopted by a family or parent that can provide for them a manner that is beyond adequate baffles me. It saddens me even more when their reservations are based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality and those other little markers we use to marginalize ourselves.

 

Now I could give more depth and substance to my logic; I could give you boring facts like how more minority children are available for adoptions than white children and yet more white families are willing to adopt than minority households. We could debate culture and identity and the many issues that come into play but my perspective would not change. To me its as simple as this, just be happy that an orphan, abandoned or abused child has found a loving family.

 

sincerely yours,

Kwapi

 

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