Adoption-Ed 101: Why does your OBC matter?

Now that we know what OBCs are, we need to understand why they are so important to adoptees, and people in general. If we cannot understand why an adoptee would want their OBC, the discussion about their rights to have them is a moot point.


In order to find people, you typically need their names.  Names are a huge part of our society and we take major advantage of them.  Here’s an example.  If I am talking to a friend about a mutual friend, I don’t say “You know that guy with brown hair who is obsessed with Star Wars that we both know?”  Rather, I say “You know Bob Smith?”  Now imagine you are trying to find your natural parents who you know almost nothing about because you need to find out if a genetic disease runs in your family.  You probably know very little about them and what you know really all depends on another topic coming up, non-identifying information.  Without a name, it is nearly impossible to find a person, and I can tell you this from experience.  It is not impossible, but it is really hard.

Some people are very into genealogy.  Websites like Ancestory.com wouldn’t exist without a real fascination with our roots.  We wouldn’t be drawn to shows like “Who Do You Think You Are”.  As a culture, our roots are important.  To not have access to any of that information is brutal.  To have no connection to where you come from or the people who gave birth to you is not a fun experience.  Even if your parents have both died, chances are you still know their names if you are not an adoptee.  An adoptee does not even have that.  An adoptee doesn’t even know their original name.

OBCs are proof that you were born.  They are your birth records.  They are the piece of paper which says you were born in this place to these people on this date at this time.  It is the representation of your birth.  It tells the world that you were here.  Adoptees are the only group of people in the US that do not have access to this piece of paper, a piece of paper that proves where you were born and when.  While some may not think it's a big deal, I urge them to consider the great debate about the birthplace of our current president.  Something to think about...