Frequently Asked Questions
1.) What are you asking for?
We want all Americans to have unconditional access to their own original birth certificates.
2.) How do you plan to achieve this?
Through educating legislators, refuting stakeholders who have historically opposed adoptee equality, and directing concerned citizens towards grassroots groups in their own state who are working for positive change. We wish to create a climate in which restoration of adoptee equality is seen not as a fringe element agenda but in fact an overdue restoration of dignity.
3.) Why are you asking for this?
Discrimination is never justified. When one class of people is denied information about the facts of their own lives that all other Americans have access to, this is inconsistent with the principal that all men are created equal.
4.) Is there a correlation between restored access and an increase in abortions?
No. Abortion is a legal right and has no relevance to the topic of unequal treatment by state governments to one class of Americans.
5.) Why would anyone be for discrimination against people who were adopted?
A red herring that has plagued the equality movement since it’s inception is the urban legend of confidentiality afforded to relinquishing mothers. Surrendering mothers were never promised privacy by state governments. Birth certificates are not sealed until an adoption occurs, which may not happen for up to a year or more if ever.
6.) What are your views on comprise measures?
Governments should not protect people from the details of their own lives. Good public policy is based on facts and research, not fallacies supplied by organizations that villainize adoptees and believe they should be subject to discrimination.
We define compromise measures as follows:
Disclosure veto – An unacceptable compromise that states a parent can prevent their adult child from receiving their own birth certificate. No other group of adults require parental permission to receive a simple piece of paper that all other Americans have free and clear access to.
Contact veto – An unacceptable compromise that states an adoptee is subject to criminal penalties if they attempt contact with a surrendering parent. This amounts to nothing less than a priori restraining order that denies an adult due process under law.
Confidential Intermediaries – An unacceptable compromise that mandates an adult must be subject to unnecessary government intrusion into their private life in order to receive their own record of birth.
Black-out, or step years – An unacceptable compromise that allows some adults access to their birth certificates based on year of birth, but denies access to others born before or after.
Contact preference form – An acceptable compromise that allows a surrendering parent to indicate their preference for contact directly, through an intermediary of their choice, or for no contact.
For more Q & A, please visit the Open Adoption Examiner:
