Adoptee Rights Days 2001 - Summer 2001 Bastard Quarterly

Photos & Reports from Adoptee Rights Days, June 2001

Tammie Biffle and Shanna Wells outside the Capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas. "We had LOTS..LOTS of support from people blowing horns and Waving at us. And the speed limit is pretty slow right in front of the Capitol, so folks were able to read our signs. We also had channel 4 to come out, and film us!!..We made the 5:00, 6:00. and 10:00 news. And that got us some good positive press, to let those who are opposed to us, that we are NOT going away."

Report from Verona, Italy!:

"Yesterday I was in Verona, at Lifestyle and Health Fair, for a presentation of one of my books about adoption, and I spoke of Adoptee Rights Days, and read the issues of your movement. I was been speaking of all the needs of adopted persons our Italian society and media have to listen too, and the rights we must respect: first of all the knowing of origins.
My adopted daughter Daria was with me and she was so happy. We had a good meeting with people after."

- Anna Genni from Italy
a.g.miliotti@sopratuttolibri.com

Ron Morgan flanked by adoptee and birthmother supporters of adult adoptee rights in Sacramento, California.

From Jean in Sacramento:

"Now... get this... an employee stated one of the methods for an adult adoptee to view their own OBC is to petition the court to set aside their adoption. Basically, tell your family and the court that you no longer wish to be adopted, and that you intend to return to your birth status. I found this clever, but totally humiliating. Why should we be required to forsake our families, in order to know our own history? No way California!! Just open the records!

It was an eerie feeling, to be standing outside the very building that houses all the state's OBCs. Right IN there, is what so many of us deserve. And our often used phrase of "second class citizen" just oozed all over us then... as we watched citizen after citizen walk into the the OVR, pay their money, and walk out with their record.

Our parents are adopted - it's our heritage too. Yes... we talked and provided literature to every one who would have us... and one elderly woman, upon hearing our plight, had the simple sad response of: "Ooooooooh". She was shocked... compassionate for us.

We also focused on the State Legislature, since our AB 1349 was granted reconsideration last month and remains in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Annnouncement went out to both the Senate and the Assembly regarding ARD. Every last member! We telephoned the offices of all our co-authors, and they were genuinely enthusiastic that we were ACTIVE. Told us this is exactly
what it will take to move AB 1349 forward. And our Open 2001 list members also focused their phone calling and letter writing to their district reps."

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