Memoirs and the Future of Adoption

abstract:My study of forty-three published memoirs by people with the three closest relations to adoption shows some frequent patterns. Birth mothers didn't realize how hard it would be to deal with relinquishment, adoptive parents could have used more information, adoption agencies and professionals are often negligent or deceptive, most adoptees want to know more about their family history. These memoirs mostly support moving toward more openness and a more inclusive understanding of family and identity. If their insights are taken seriously, the proportion of adoptions with greater degrees of openness is likely to increase in the future.