Opening Post

I decided to start blogging because I am trying to make sense of adoption. My mom is adopted and I've learned a lot about her experience as an adopted child. Now I want to make sense of that experience in the big picture--what does adoption mean today?

A whole slew of topics comes to mind, including interracial adoption, international adoption, and adoption by gay parents. The high profile of the Jolie-Pitt family has raised important questions about celebrity adoption. I suspect Brad Pitt is a good dad, but I frequently get the impression from the media that adoption was mostly A.J.'s idea. I wonder how their breakup will affect the kids' lives. Apparently the kids will be staying with Angelina Jolie. ( http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/01/23/2010-01-23_brangelina_break_up_brad_pitt_angelina_jolie_meet_lawyers_to_divide_fortune_shar.html

) More on them later.

I'm also interested in the access adopted children have to their biological families. My mom's was a private adoption, and she's petitioning the courts to get those records. The system may be different now, but I'll be looking into that in upcoming blogs. Stay tuned!