Do you believe in interracial adoption?

Question

Do you believe in interracial adoption (as in a family adopting a child of another race)? Why or why not?

I personally have mixed views on the subject, because I noticed a lot of white families who adopt Asian children adopt them because they think asian kids are cute when they are little (you don't see most of them adopting a latino, indian, or other-raced child). I have heard of other scenarios as well regarding the problems with interracial adoption.

Yet I also feel a family is not bound by race but by love and a child of any race can be raised and adopted with love by parents of any race. But yet could it work if the parents show them other children just like them, know the child's heritage, culture, etc...

What is your opinion on this issue? For or against and why?

Veronica's Mommy- that is so true, i think celebrities do so because of trends, which is sickening

I'm not judging anyone who adopts asian or any raced kids, but there are people who have that motive that is purely for image and selfish reasons (same reason blonde hair, blue eyed babies get adopted). However, I read an article in one of my english courses about a Korean woman who was adopted by a white family who dressed her in Japanese and Chinese traditional wear when she was younger just for her looks and she grew up with a lot of identity and mental problems because of that. I'm not saying its always like that but you have to consider that into account too at times, especially the way the world is with its stereotypes and hatred

Answer 1

I feel it doesn't matter. But then again I'm in an inter-racial adoption. Both of my parents are white and i'm bi-racial. So, I guess i would be one-sided on the subject. I have been told that i would of been better off in an ophrange than to be adopted by two white people. So maybe that's were i get so defensive. I think it would be up to the individual family and what they want. If they want to provide for a child then race shouldn't matter. But like I said, I lean more for it doesn't matter because of my situation.

Answer 2

I definitely believe in transracial adoption being a transracial adopter myself. As someone else mentioned, the vast majority of adopters are Caucasian but nearly half of the waiting children just in the U.S. are children of color. A African American infant has as much chance of being adopted as a 5 year old Caucasian child.

Okay, in regards to why Asian. (and you're getting the abridged version 'cause it's actually long and complicated). First, its the sending countries and China is a big one. It's rules weren't too strict and the cost wasn't too great (compared to adopted the "perfect white baby"). People also tend to adopt the "lightest" complexions possible. Therefore, Asian, biracial, Latino, before full African American. I don't agree with this by the way, but even if you look at the cost of adoptions you will note that trend.
I am for transracial adoptions because all children deserve a permanent home. However, those of us who adopt transracially have the responsibility of helping our child to be proud of and exposed to their heritiage/race/culture.

Answer 3

I am shocked by all of the negativity. I personally do not have a lot of experience with international adoption. I have spent the past several years researching every piece of information I could find on international adoption. Also, I do know several families that have adopted transracially. All families are doing fine. The children are well-adjusted, happy, self-confident individuals. Have they and do they have issues? Of course - all families have issues - no matter what there ethnic make up. I believe a child that grows up in a loving home that teaches him or her strong values with emphasis on the importance of each and every human being and the gift of differences will be a self-confident, happy, productive individual.

Answer 4

i obviously believe in it. my husband and i are white and our daughter is hispanic. i don't get why you don't see people adopting latino kids. she's as cute as you get. she was a domestic adoption and not international. you and others may think you see more asian adoptions because that's what you've been trained to see. i would say at least 90% of people who see her with my husband and i think she's asian. she's not. personally i don't even think she looks asian. mostly i think she looks like our daughter. interacial adoption is only a big deal because we as a society make it a big deal. 30 years ago a catholic couple adopting a jewish child would have been considered interacial. i'm german/hungarian genetics. by literal definition i'm interacial. and years ago i would have been considered so. all we can do as parents is try to raise our children not to look at skin tone, much like we were raised not to look at genetic backgrounds. i mean there isn't the polish, itallian, hungarian, german sides of town really anymore. as time goes on the melting pot we call america will come around and we'll have a whole new identity and a new group to consider interacial. i wasn't raised to honor hungarian or german holidays. i'm aware of my genetic backgrounds and so will my daughter be. i honestly plan on raising her to be a decent human being and others that are so preoccupied about looking and trying to decide what part of asia we adopted her from are the main problem. i would ask what race are you. white doesn't cut it. white is a group term that bulks together all caucasion races. so do you find it difficult to have been raised not celebrating your race heritage? call me a bad adoptive parent, but i do not have plans to drape her nursery in the Mexican flag or put festive mexican clothing on her at every holiday. She is our child and will be raised as such. and will know her heritage, but will not have it forced upon her. i mean come on i also have a small amount of american indian in my linage. am i curious about it, sure. am i going to build a t-pee in my backyard, probably not.

Answer 5

I am for it!! What would we do if we found a child that was the last of it's race? Would we let it wander to die or would we as humans shelter and nourish it?

I think if a family wants a baby bad enough, due to not being able to produce their own or just feeling that they want to open their home to a child in need.... then there is nothing wrong with that. We have to become united and maybe the only way to do that is to teach our youth to accept one another for who they are an not the color of their skin.

There are more Asian children avaliable to adopt because their country is over populated with people and some companies like Toyota offer discounts to their employees - they help the children of their country. Adoption isn't cheap.

I think that the child will learn from their parents that adopt he/she, learn the parents religion and heritage. Even if the child grew up in his/her adopted home - the child should have the opportunity to learn the ways of their home country and decide for themselves what their life should become. But they say that a child, if it strays will always come back to it's roots and what it is taught.

Have you ever been to another country and witnessed with your own eyes the poverty that the children there are dealing with? Children here in the U.S. - even growing up without parents have a better chance for survival and love than with malaria or the wars in other countries. The "stars" have enough heart to help them and save them from it... give them only what they could've dreamed for - health, education, and love.

Answer 6

If people only adopted children of the same race, then there would be even more children waiitng for families, because the statistics are that most people who adopt are white, and the least available infant is white. Therefore, we need these couples do adopt children of different races in order to get more children into homes.

I do think however, that it would be nice if the parents made sure the children know about their culture. Although I'm Italian and Scottish and don't know all that much about mine and I could care less. I know I'm American and that's all I really care about.

Answer 7

I think your wrong to judge someones motive on why they adopted. Also if a child gets out of an orphanage, and into a loving home, thats what matters. Everything else is just stupid talk.

I would give any child a home, I don't care what race they are. If I had the money, I would adopt today.

There are so many chinese little girls abondoned, who cares if these parents find them cute. That may be their first motive, but that is still one less child in an orphanage!.

What a waste of time to sit in the seat of judgement of such a unselfish act.

Answer 8

It is better for a child to be with a family (of any color) then to be in an orphanage or short term foster home.

However, if a newborn american black child is put up for adoption, I believe that a black family should have first chance to adopt. I think that child would ultimetly do better. But if no black family is available, then other race family should be considered.

Answer 9

i think that anyone, gay or straight, should be able to adopt any child, their own race or not. there are millions of children out there that need good homes and millions of people that have good homes to give. who cares where the child comes from.

Answer 10

I think that interracial adoption is ok as long as people remember that they have an obligation to teach children about the history of their culture.