Now that we know what OBCs are and why they matter, the next step is deciding if all people should have access to their OBC. This is the great debate. I’m going to come right out and say it. I believe that every person should have access to their OBC. I believe that by not having access, my 14th amendment right is being violated. I’m going to outline some of the major arguments for keeping OBCs sealed and tell you why they don’t really stand up. For some basic information, http://library.adoption.com/articles/open-records-for-adult-adoptees.html is a good site at giving an overview.
OBCs were originally left open in the United States until the 1930s when there was a shift to sealed records. Because OBCs were marked with “Illegitimate” (big taboo at the time), children given up for adoption were not wanted because of this status. By sealing the record, the government was acting in what they thought was the best interest of the child in the time. However, “illegitimate” is no longer marked on OBCs and society has changed to the point where it is no longer as big of deal as it was. So it would make sense to open the records right? Not so fast say some people.
The first argument is that abortion rates would climb if records were opened. However, there is no evidence of this anywhere. If you look at abortion statistics, this has had the opposite effect in open access states. When states opened records, their abortion rates have gone down (http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org/reform_adoption_data.php). Not only did the number of abortions decrease, but they decreased significantly more than the national average. The total opposite of what people are arguing will happen. It would appear that you if you abortion rates to decrease, you would fight for open records.
Another thing that people like to argue is that adoption rates will decrease. Domestic adoption rates have been decreasing in the US for years now as more people are finding ways to keep their children and there is less stigma surrounding one parent families. Also, with more access to birth control, unwanted pregnancies are not as common as they once were. If you look at the statistics, you will see that again, statistics back that open records have a positive effect on adoptions (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07316/833100-84.stm). While adoption numbers are decreasing, the rate of this decrease is less where there are open records. So really, this argument has no factual data backing it up.
Some argue that natural mothers were promised confidentiality. They say that those women deserve privacy. Let’s take a look at this statement. First of all, I have yet to hear about or read about any document that a natural mother signed that promised confidentiality. There is a huge difference between right to privacy, and confidentiality. These women are owed privacy. Their names should not be broadcast to the world. However, their children should have access to their names. If they signed anything that promised them confidentiality, which would mean no information would be disclosed to anyone, then it would be a different story. This is a huge adoption myth.
Finally, a lot of people argue that natural mothers do not want to be found. This may be true in some cases. I don’t believe my natural mother wanted to be found. However, I am learning that she is a minority. There are groups of birthmothers/natural mothers/first mothers who are speaking up about their wish for open records. Some of them want to be able to access their child’s OBC so they can find them. Some of them want reunions. There are a lot of natural mother’s out there who want open records and it’s time for people to start listening to them. They have a voice and they deserve to be able to use it.
There are so many good compelling reasons to open records. Adult adoptees are the only group of Americans who can not access their birth records. Some ABCs are good, but others are not. I've heard stories of adult adoptees being denied basic things as US citizens because their ABCs are not enough. It's not right that an adoptee can be denied a passport because they cannot prove who they are using their ABC because it looks like a fake. They cannot prove that they were born in the US. They cannot prove they were ever even born.
If this was any other group of people, the American public would be up in arms. Yet in this case it doesn't seem like they are. This group of people has a right to their identity, a right to their history, and a right to prove where they were born. Never mind the fact that in some cases, facts were changed on the ABCs to make it harder for surrendering parents to find their children. That's correct, there are people out there who do not even know their own birth date. I've heard stories of people who are actually younger than they thought they were because their parents wanted them to have the same birthday of another child they had lost. We all deserve the right to know these basic facts, facts that help to shape who we are. I can only hope and pray that someday we will all have the right to our OBCs.
OBCs were originally left open in the United States until the 1930s when there was a shift to sealed records. Because OBCs were marked with “Illegitimate” (big taboo at the time), children given up for adoption were not wanted because of this status. By sealing the record, the government was acting in what they thought was the best interest of the child in the time. However, “illegitimate” is no longer marked on OBCs and society has changed to the point where it is no longer as big of deal as it was. So it would make sense to open the records right? Not so fast say some people.
The first argument is that abortion rates would climb if records were opened. However, there is no evidence of this anywhere. If you look at abortion statistics, this has had the opposite effect in open access states. When states opened records, their abortion rates have gone down (http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org/reform_adoption_data.php). Not only did the number of abortions decrease, but they decreased significantly more than the national average. The total opposite of what people are arguing will happen. It would appear that you if you abortion rates to decrease, you would fight for open records.
Another thing that people like to argue is that adoption rates will decrease. Domestic adoption rates have been decreasing in the US for years now as more people are finding ways to keep their children and there is less stigma surrounding one parent families. Also, with more access to birth control, unwanted pregnancies are not as common as they once were. If you look at the statistics, you will see that again, statistics back that open records have a positive effect on adoptions (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07316/833100-84.stm). While adoption numbers are decreasing, the rate of this decrease is less where there are open records. So really, this argument has no factual data backing it up.
Some argue that natural mothers were promised confidentiality. They say that those women deserve privacy. Let’s take a look at this statement. First of all, I have yet to hear about or read about any document that a natural mother signed that promised confidentiality. There is a huge difference between right to privacy, and confidentiality. These women are owed privacy. Their names should not be broadcast to the world. However, their children should have access to their names. If they signed anything that promised them confidentiality, which would mean no information would be disclosed to anyone, then it would be a different story. This is a huge adoption myth.
Finally, a lot of people argue that natural mothers do not want to be found. This may be true in some cases. I don’t believe my natural mother wanted to be found. However, I am learning that she is a minority. There are groups of birthmothers/natural mothers/first mothers who are speaking up about their wish for open records. Some of them want to be able to access their child’s OBC so they can find them. Some of them want reunions. There are a lot of natural mother’s out there who want open records and it’s time for people to start listening to them. They have a voice and they deserve to be able to use it.
There are so many good compelling reasons to open records. Adult adoptees are the only group of Americans who can not access their birth records. Some ABCs are good, but others are not. I've heard stories of adult adoptees being denied basic things as US citizens because their ABCs are not enough. It's not right that an adoptee can be denied a passport because they cannot prove who they are using their ABC because it looks like a fake. They cannot prove that they were born in the US. They cannot prove they were ever even born.
If this was any other group of people, the American public would be up in arms. Yet in this case it doesn't seem like they are. This group of people has a right to their identity, a right to their history, and a right to prove where they were born. Never mind the fact that in some cases, facts were changed on the ABCs to make it harder for surrendering parents to find their children. That's correct, there are people out there who do not even know their own birth date. I've heard stories of people who are actually younger than they thought they were because their parents wanted them to have the same birthday of another child they had lost. We all deserve the right to know these basic facts, facts that help to shape who we are. I can only hope and pray that someday we will all have the right to our OBCs.
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