The widespread sealing of adoption records despite the wishes are needs of the adopted child has been a major public issue in America. The United States government started to conceal these birth records, first from the public and then from people who were named in the records stripping the adoptees of their privileged right to acquire their original birth certificates. Closing records evolved into a standard practice in the 1960’s where the state governments sought to protect biological birth mothers from discrimination of society and strengthen the adoptive parent’s relationship with their adoptive children. Therefore, the state governments made birth records confidential and refused to undue the sealing records law. Adoptees began to challenge
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The state governments believed that sealing birth records from the public view would to protect the privacy of biological parents and prevent discrimination from “public judgment for having a child out of wedlock” (Addison, par. 8). As time progressed, the state governments shifted from confidentiality of personal privacy to secrecy towards adoptees after World War II. This meant that state governments began sealing adoption record laws from adult adoptees so they “could not obtain information about their births and backgrounds” (Herman, par. 5). According to Addison, many people who lived in the 20th century assumed that children who were given up for adoption possessed bad qualities and were considered “illegitimate” to the public (par. 3). Moreover, adoptive parents and birth mothers advocated to have the state governments enact laws to seal the birth records. Adoptive parents endorsed these laws so they could “hide the fact that their family was formed through adoption” (Addison, par. 4). Birth mothers wanted to be protected from the prejudice of being judged by the society back then. Although many adoptees argued to reestablish their access, the state governments argued that releasing those records could be …show more content…
Despite the state governments benevolent intentions to preserve the anonymity of biological parents, adoptees were discriminated against “a system of unequal treatment under the law” (“Adoptees Should Have the Right to View Their Adoption Records”, par. 5). In 1917, Minnesota became the first state to establish the adoption law which concealed adoption records confidentially from the public and never intended on sealing them from the adoptees. After World War II, adoption records were largely sealed, denying any person including adoptees access to their adoptee’s birth certificate “meaning no contact and no information about the biological parent” (Addison, par. 5). The “trend towards secrecy” rather than protecting biological parents’ rights to privacy caused states to take away the adoptee rights (Busharis and Hasegawa, par. 3). From the 1980s to the 1990s, all the states except Kansas and Alaska refused to reverse the sealing of adoption records, even though adult adoptees began seeking their information about their origins. Adoptees desired their birth records in order to have access to their medical history and establish a relationship with the biological parents. Those simple, harmless wishes were taken away by the government for beliefs that it can cause danger when statistics argue that sealing records “did not slow the rate of
The state governments believed that sealing birth records from the public view would to protect the privacy of biological parents and prevent discrimination from “public judgment for having a child out of wedlock” (Addison, par. 8). As time progressed, the state governments shifted from confidentiality of personal privacy to secrecy towards adoptees after World War II. This meant that state governments began sealing adoption record laws from adult adoptees so they “could not obtain information about their births and backgrounds” (Herman, par. 5). According to Addison, many people who lived in the 20th century assumed that children who were given up for adoption possessed bad qualities and were considered “illegitimate” to the public (par. 3). Moreover, adoptive parents and birth mothers advocated to have the state governments enact laws to seal the birth records. Adoptive parents endorsed these laws so they could “hide the fact that their family was formed through adoption” (Addison, par. 4). Birth mothers wanted to be protected from the prejudice of being judged by the society back then. Although many adoptees argued to reestablish their access, the state governments argued that releasing those records could be …show more content…
Despite the state governments benevolent intentions to preserve the anonymity of biological parents, adoptees were discriminated against “a system of unequal treatment under the law” (“Adoptees Should Have the Right to View Their Adoption Records”, par. 5). In 1917, Minnesota became the first state to establish the adoption law which concealed adoption records confidentially from the public and never intended on sealing them from the adoptees. After World War II, adoption records were largely sealed, denying any person including adoptees access to their adoptee’s birth certificate “meaning no contact and no information about the biological parent” (Addison, par. 5). The “trend towards secrecy” rather than protecting biological parents’ rights to privacy caused states to take away the adoptee rights (Busharis and Hasegawa, par. 3). From the 1980s to the 1990s, all the states except Kansas and Alaska refused to reverse the sealing of adoption records, even though adult adoptees began seeking their information about their origins. Adoptees desired their birth records in order to have access to their medical history and establish a relationship with the biological parents. Those simple, harmless wishes were taken away by the government for beliefs that it can cause danger when statistics argue that sealing records “did not slow the rate of