Adoption Is A Popular Choice - 1301 Words

Adoption is a popular choice in the U.S., but much controversy surrounds it. For the adopted children, there can be problems and hurdles they may come across their paths later. Not having access to birth records means not having access to their history. To be able to unlock these records, many requirements need to be met in order to have their case considered by a judge who may or may not grant the adopted person the requested records. In order to gain an understanding of what they have come from and what might affect their futures, adoption records should not be sealed for adults who have been adopted. The U.S. has numerous laws regarding sealed adoption records and all are different depending on the state. Originally adoption records†¦show more content†¦The rewritten certificate does not include any identifying information. The adoptee’s name on this certificate is the one given to them by the adoptive parents, the hospital they were born in is not included, and ne ither are the names and ages of their birth parents (Goodman). With birth records sealed, adoptees are not able to obtain information of their heritage or future health problems they may encounter. Since valuable information is kept secret, some adoptive parents along with birth parents are in agreement with many adult adoptees about having sealed adoption laws changed. All involved parties have been trying to get laws passed for birth records to be opened once the adoptee turns 18. These issues call for the different states to unite and make changes to the old laws. The desire for sealed adoption records to be made available for adult adoptees is rising. A significant push for these state laws to be changed has been from adult adoptees and their birth parents along with some adoptive parents. For the adoptees in favor of this, all have different reasons. One of the most common reasons, is that it is hard for them to feel like they truly know themselves when they do not fully know where they came from. One said it was like â€Å"starting your life with Chapter 2, never knowing the Chapter 1 of your story† (Henderson). They want to know their heritage and their genealogy along with