Make open adoptions legally binding

Together, we stand united in giving voice to young women whose hearts are torn asunder by the broken promise of an open adoption. We are rising up as one to make our voices heard in their stead. Our demand is this, No longer allow the promise of an open adoption to be a tool to entice young birthmothers. Tell adoptive parents, and adoptive agencies that this will no longer be tolerated.

Speak clearly to agencies and adoptive parents who would abuse this promise in this fashion. Tell them that the young women they are cheating now have a voice. Make it a voice of law.

On behalf of birthmothers, who are often poor, and young, we stand shoulder to shoulder, at your door, so that you can hear us. Our voices are the voices of the young mothers who sacrifice in order to give their children better lives. Our voices are those of the young mothers (and fathers) who allow someone else to give their children all that they feel they cannot.

In our voices, hear the voices of the mothers who hope to watch from a distance as their child grows. To see him develop into a man. To watch her blossom into a woman. In our voices, hear the whisper of their pain. In our solemn faces, see the tears of betrayal when the promise is broken. In our intertwined hands, see the last loving touch of the birth parents as they say good-bye to their child, hoping the best for her.

Tell the adoption agencies, and the adoptive parents that those whom they have deceived with deliberately broken promises of open adoptions, that their actions are not acceptable. Tell the world that birthmothers and birthfathers who seek open adoptions are people.

People with voices.

Stand up today, and tell adoptive parents that its not okay to make promises you have no intention to keep. Stand up today, and tell adoption agencies that this form of duplicity will no longer be tolerated.

We are here to be counted. We are here in numbers, to speak loudly and firmly. We are here to tell you that the voiceless mothers (and fathers) who allow someone else to offer their children the life they cannot, are no longer voiceless. We are here on their behalf, to shout their pain from the mountaintops. We are here to demand that they be heard.

No longer do their tears fall in darkness. No longer are they dismissed, shamed into silence. No longer will they be told that they must not care. No longer will they be stripped of their children and set adrift. When one voluntarily allows someone to raise their child, upon condition that they be allowed to watch from afar, let the law uphold them. Let the law support them.

Because they are young, because they are poor, they have no recourse.

Let us advocate for them, and be their champions in their loving choice to give their child the best life they can think of. Let us advocate that their gift of love to child and adoptive parents be made with full disclosure and truth.

Refuse to allow even one more birth parent to be lied to and deceived. Refuse to turn their time of trouble into a time of deep, wretched pain and betrayal. Refuse to allow others to turn their act of love into a feeling of guilt for having allowed liars to raise their child.

Come, stand with us. Make our cry one voice louder.