The Adoption Files

Emma Stevens is a U.S.  domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Her traumas were born from first being relinquished and then becoming an adoptee who struggled with being forced to wear an impossible mask playing the part of the "good adopted child." E...

The ongoing saga of one adoptee with a foreign birth certificate, issued more than a year after their birth, attempting to obtain a Realid. Tune in for more of this ridiculous tale!

Part 2 of Lynn and Ande's conversation with Greg Gentry.  Mentioned in the show:  Roe v. Wade: Decision, Summary & Background - HISTORY Read Justice Alito's initial draft abortion opinion which would overturn Roe v. Wade - POLITICO Judaism and abortion: like any other topic, abortion is one argued about in Judaism. Some hold that it is prohibited, but not until a certain stage of pregnancy. In som...

Please join the hosts as they have a conversation with Greg Gentry about the beliefs and attitudes that inform the adoption narrative, and the almost cult-like belief that people have in that narrative. In this episode and in part 2, we discuss with Greg the (absence of) scriptural support for adoption. Greg Gentry is a domestic adoptee. He has a Masters in Theological Studies Lynn Grubb works in...

Join us as we discuss with our guests the attitudes and beliefs that influence the adoption narrative and the almost cultlike belief that people have in that narrative, no matter what adoptees may be saying about the flaws in adoption. Beliefs influence law, and until we can change the beliefs that underpin the practice of adoption, changing laws will be difficult.   Some resources menti...

Marilyn Huff is an ally and advocate for adoptee rights. She is one of the founders of the Facebook group The Search Co-op, and is working on creating a database of the state laws that allow the retention of original birth certificates in adoptions.  Mentioned in the episode: Debunking Reasons for Birth Certificate Revision: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yAmvXE48P-fL3hz3ZZsWsNhkuCgjx65pD...

Beth Figuls is a Baby Scoop Era California adoptee.  California is nortoriously difficult to obtain original documents from. Please join us as we talk about how Beth obtained her identifying information.  California adoption laws: Adoption Records (ca.gov) ICWA: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) | Indian Affairs (bia.gov) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) | Ind...

Daphne Keys is a Baby Scoop Era Maryland adoptee. Please join us as we discuss Daphnes attempts to obtain her identifying documents, the recent efforts by Maryland adoptees to pass legislation guaranteeing access, and how taking up quilting has been a source of therapy.  Mentioned in the show: Baby Scoop Era: a period from 1945 to 1973 where a high rate of adoptions took place in the United S...

Please join the host as they talk with domestic adoptee and author,  Paige Adams Strickland and Renee Gelin, mother and one of the founders of Saving Our Sisters,  about the different types of adoption common in the United States( and a lot of other places). Paige is the author of two adoption memoirs and has contributed to several anthologies. Her books can be found at: Amazon.com: Paige Adams St...

Richard Clark is a screenwriter and film music composer. He was born and adopted in the state of Hawaii. Rich can be found on Twitter at @RCSoundworks Mentioned in the interview: Hawaii Adoption Law: Hawaii Original Birth Certificates | Adoptee Rights Law Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE): Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) | VitalSigns | CDC The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Dis...

Mary Ellen Gambutti is a South Carolina, Baby-Scoop Era adoptee. She is the author of numerous pieces in literary magazines, and the author of several books, including: I Must Have Wandered: An Adopted Air Force Daughter Recalls, Stroke Story, My Journey There and Back and Coming to Terms: My Journey Continues. Her new memoir, I must have wandered, can be found at: https://books2read.com/ap/n...

Annie Oxborough is a New Zealand Baby Scoop Era adoptee. She is the author of the newly released book Where the Fuck is my Mother, illustrated by her brother Sparrow Phillips, a New Zealand artist.  Annie can be found at:   annieo.co.nz https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083122489253 and insta handle https://www.instagram.com/the_adopted_girl/. https://www.amazon.com/Where-F...

Please join me as I speak with David Lang, an adoptee from the state of Connecticut. We talk about pursuing identity prior to the changes in Connecticut law in July of 2021, family surprises, and transporting cremains across an international border.  David can be found on Twitter at: @Revintheair Mentioned on the episode: Connecticut Adoption law: Adoptions and Foreign Births (ct.gov) Catholic Cha...

Please join me as i speak with: Lynne Miller, Late Discovery Adoptee and writer at the blog adopteerevelations.com Laureen Pittman: adoptee, author of the Lies that Bind Andrea Coates: adoptee ally, search angel and LCSW Lynn Grubb: adoptee, adoptee advocate, author of Hidden Identity Plenary Adoption: plenary adoption, as practiced in many places including the United States, is a form of adoption...

Dr. Kristy Howell is an adult adoptee in reunion. She was born and adopted in the sealed state of Mississippi. She is a Sustainability expert and trained historian. Kristy can be found at @kwittman on twitter and on instagram. Mentioned in the show: Mississippi adoption laws: adopteerightslaw.com ISRR: International Soundex Reunion Registry: International Soundex Reunion Registry - ISRR  This used...

Please join me as I speak with Renee Gelin, mom of a son lost to an unnecessary adoption. She is also the founder and president of the organization, Saving our Sisters. Renee and I discuss her experience with the adoption industry, which motivated her to advocate for other women in crisis. Renee is an avid ally of adoptees as well.  Renees' organization can be found at savingoursistersad...

Andrea is a licensed clinical social worker. She is also a search angel with the Search Squad. Andrea was one of the first people I interviewed when I began this podcast. A non-adoptee, or Kept person, Andrea has devoted a great deal of energy to an intentional exploration of adoptees lived experience. Through countless hours of reading adoptee memoir, blogs and articles; listening to podcasts and...

The host shares a few thoughts on adoption and birthdays and gotcha days.

Laureen Pitman is a Baby Scoop Era adoptee, born and raised in the closed state of California. Laureen is the author of the memoir The Lies that Bind. She is active in the adoptee community, writing for her blog adoptionmytruth.com, participating in roundtables like The Red Couch Rebuttal, contributing to the anthology The Adoptee Survival Guide, and in other projects.  Mentioned in the podcast: C...

A thank you to those who worked so hard on behalf of Vermont adoptees, and a plea to see other states follow their lead. Vermont is only the eleventh state to allow adoptees access to their original documents.

The host delivers a short rant on the awfulness of advertising for babies. Contact your legislators if you live in a state where independent advertising for children is allowed. Use the convenient map provided by (the enemy), at Our Chosen Baby. Just google States where advertising for babies is allowed.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/in-the-market/. A brief talk about white, grey and black market adoptions, the situation with Ukraine, and a disturbing list of the twenty easiest places to adopt. Disclaimer: the host is jot a lawyer. The hosts opinions are just opinions, even if she did look this shit up and finds it highly offens...

The host of the podcast talks briefly about what Open Adoption is, and is not. Have thoughts on the topic? Please comment on the blog at theadoptionfilescom. Wordpress.com

Join the host, Ande Stanley, as they are interviewed by Lynn Grubb. We talk a bit about my experience as a UK adoptee, and a lot about the complexities of pursuing our identities.  Lynn Grubb is the editor of the Adoptee Anthology, The Adoptee Survival Guide. She is the author of the memoir Hidden Identity. She is The Adopted Genealogist on Facebook. Her memoir can be found in podcast form at: the...

Victoria Bond was born and adopted in the state of Kentucky. Please join us as we talk about the difficulties of applying for documents in a closed state, and how Victorias experience motivated her to become a Search Angel for other adoptees. Victoria is a small business owner as well. She can be found at Made by Victoria: https://www.facebook.com/madebyvictoriabond Mentioned in the show: Kentucky...