READERS REACT:MARY LOUISE PARKER BRINGS ON CONVERSATIONS ON RACE AND ADOPTION
In this POST,readers saw a picture of actress Mary Louise Parker and her daughter Caroline “Ash” Aberash Parker(Caroline was adopted from Africa).The photograph brought on conversations of race and adoption. Here are a few comments from some BCK readers:
Okay, I’m just speaking from a curious mind BUT why do Caucasians feel the need to adopt African, African-American and Asian children?
I firmly believe that if somebody can provide a stable and loving home, then GO FOR IT. But I still can’t help but think, why children of color? Little white kids need love too!! lol But you don’t see Black or African families trying to scoop up a little white girl/boy.
I’m just saying.`Naija Gal
Naja Gal,
There five times more black kids in the system than whites. White families have to wait years for a white baby to become available for adoption. There are so many Black kids that grow up in foster care because no one wants them. It’s a blessing when children can find home with parents who love them. No matter who the parents are.It disturbs me that more Black don’t adopt. We are so stuck on birthing that their are so many Black children whose fathers never wanted them, and mothers couldn’t afford them and families were unable take them that they are stuck. If we took care of our own you woundn’t have to ask that question.`Jennifer
Okay I have no problem with white people adopting black kids, I think it’s great that the kids are getting place in good homes. My beef is this: if these rich white celebrities are going to adopt white kids, why can’t they hire someone to properly do their hair? What are they gonna do when the kids start school? Just let them role out of bed and go. Hair is an important part of their identity as well, and how is Zahara gonna feel when she realizes that out of all Brad and Angelina’s other kids, she’s the only one who’s hair is sticking on top of her head like she’s an orphan!~Pkp
I’d rather see more Afros than mothers running their girls to the salon to get their hair straightened. Angelina and Mary-Louise probably teach their girls that they’re beautiful just how they are and to appreciate their culture. If you get your hair permed if should be a personal decision not forced on you.`Jessica
A FEW FACTS/RESEARCHED OPINIONS:
- A report points out that transracial adoption itself does not produce psychological or other social problems in children, but that these children often face major challenges as the only person of color in an all-white environment, trying to cope with being different.Source1
- Congress passed the Multiethnic Placement Act in 1994 after several white couples said they had not been provided the opportunity to adopt minority children. The law prohibits delaying or denying a child’s foster care or adoptive placement on the basis of race or nationality.Source1
- At the heart of the debate is the fact that the foster care system has a disproportionately high number of black children, and on average they languish there nine months longer than white children before moving to permanent homes. The latest federal figures showed that 32 percent of the 510,000 children in foster care were black in 2006, compared with 15 percent of all U.S. children.Source2
- Last year, China, Russia, South Korea and Guatemala — the big four in providing candidates for adoption[in America] — accounted for 70% of the 19,292 children who entered the USA for adoption. Three years ago, those nations accounted for 79% of the 22,728 kids who came here for adoption.Meanwhile, two African nations, Ethiopia and Liberia, are emerging as popular countries to adopt from, although the number of children they send here remains relatively small.many Americans are considering domestic adoptions of babies and foster-care children because of growing waits, restrictions and uncertainties in adopting abroad.Source3
BCK Says: After reading about the facts and opinions on adoption,what are your opinions on transracial adoption? How about transcultural adoption?
Source1
Source2
SOurce3
If the couple are able to provide for the child, and love them like they should I see nothing wrong with it. Sure, certain things will be a little different but if they really want the adoption/family to work out people will get through it.
Have any of you folk that are posting looked into adoption or tried to do anything charitable or the smallest bit of humanitarism. Stop judging people by their color and look at their character. If a white woman don’t have a problem sportin’ a black child then why is that your business?
I agree with the 2 aboive poster!
I DON’T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT. IT’S A GOOD THING TO BRING THE CHILDREN OUT OF ANY ORPHANAGE. WE CAN SIT HERE AN SAY ‘WHY DO PEOPLE ADOPT CHILDERN OF COLOR WHILE THESE POOR BABIES WAIT. ASK A CHILD ADOPTED FROM AN ORPHANAGE THEY WOULD NOT CARE IF YOU ARE PINK OR BLUE AS LONG AS THEY ARE OUT. I WISH I HAD THE FUNDS TO GO TO ETHIOPIA AN BRING BACK A CHILD. I HAVE ONE ADOPTED DAUGHTER AND TWO LITTLE GIRLS FROM GUARDIANSHIP ALSO TWO BIO TEEAGE DAUGHTERS.
As long as you teach your little one to love themselves, I don’t see a problem! I have no problem with transracial adoption, as long as the kid isn’t completely isolated from their background and then they just end up with a confused identity!
The thing that bothers me is when people of color don’t adopt their own - trust me, I’ve seen it. That’s just so wrong and I don’t understand how anyone could do that. To say “oh we just saw a baby and he needed a home” is wrong…because how many black or Latino kids do you think need a home? Being a foster kid sucks whether you’re black, white or brown, don’t get me wrong I’m not heartless…but just think about it…yes, there is a difference when a white person adopts a white kid and a person of color adopts a white kid…
It is sad to say that as a community we have not embraced the notion of adoption as much as the white community has. Yes, we support our extended families, but we must begin to understand that we still have much more to do for our children (domestic and internationally). If we don’t raise our children then others will.
I do not see anything wrong with white families raising black children as long as they are culturally sensitive and are exposing the children to others that look like them and to their culture.
THENEWYORKER= If I could and was able to adopt right now I would. I’m 20 years old, in college and financial things aren’t together, so I’m not able to adopt yet. Though it is something I’d love to do when I can.
flat out it doesnt matter the color it matters if someone needs help or not! Im sooooooo sick of people seeing color and nothing else, its 2008 and people are still judging because of color! this is ridiculous that we as americans in our “FREE” country are still dealing with racial issues, its soooooo sad! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL THE CHILDREN WHO NEED HOMES, NO MATTER WHAT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN!!!
THEY JUST ADOPTING OTHER COLORED KIDS FOR ATTENTION…I KNOW IT HAS TO BE SOME PRETTY WHITE KIDS IN NEED OF A RICH CELEBRITY FAMILY
IT WOULDNT BE A PROBLEM ADOPTING OTHER COLOR KIDS IF THEY ADOPTED SOME OF THEIR OWN TOO…BUT THEY ACT LIKE THEY ALLERGIC TO THEIR OWN…SOUND FISHY
R, I hate to say it but that is just silly! Let me tell you first hand, adoption is not easy. Celebrities are people too and so what if they choose to adopt black children, our kids need homes. Can it be that is what is in their heart to do? Do they have to put up a sign every time they adopt a white child to justify them adopting a black child? Give me a break. A child is a child. By the way, how many children have you adopted lately?
you people are silly, i think Zahara hair is beautiful… it’s too bad it takes a white woman such as Zolie to raise an African American child to love herself the way she is. Who in the hell said a perm makes you beautiful?? Who said all those ridiculous twister in a child’s head will make them beautiful. If anything the black people that are complaining about Zahara’s hair have the issues because none of the Zolie-Pitt kids hair are being comb, take a look at Shiloh her hair is all over her head just like Zahara’s but the black people are complaining because they can’t see the beauty in their own texture of hair! How sad is that! PS— I am a black woman!
If Jolie did perm or change the texture of Zahara’s hair I would be offended as a black woman because then I would think she was trying to make it straight like her other children, they are all nature… leave Zahara alone, she is naturally beautiful.
I see nothing wrong with it except for racial identity as the child grows older. The child may end up being teased for being different by siblings or peers, or may have a hard time accepting and grasping the ethnic differences that he or she will experience.
This is especially troubling because now socially it is more acceptable to be white, or light skinned with straight hair. No matter what anyone tries to say that does affect daily life and can have a serious negative effect when it comes to body image, self respect, self love, and emotional well being.
Everyone is talking about perming or changing the texture of a childs hair…what about just combing it, moisturizing it, and making it look nice. I kinda have to be devil’s advocate on this…hair is important and especially with curly textured hair…you have to take care of it. Walking around with an uncombed, unkempt AFRO is not indicative of loving and encouraging someone’s ethnic beauty…it could mean a lack in knowledge of hair care requirements for textured hair and thus a certain level of ignorance to their children’s need which could be showing their lack of sensitivity and acceptance of their ethnic background. They can pay for professionals to responsibly care for their childrens hair and still maintain the natural texture and keep it healthy and COMBED…or they can do like every other mother…and learn how to do it themselves…the right way!!!