The Adoption Frontier

Madonna did it. Angelina Jolie did it. So did Emma Thompson and Mary-Louise Parker. And in a society where celebrities are seen as cultural leaders, a lot of their fans are doing it too.  But this trend has nothing to do with hair-styles, name brands or fashion statements. Each of these famous women has adopted a child from Africa.  And if the newspapers are correct, the latest to join the group will be Chelsea Clinton.

Not to trivialize the situation, despite ongoing development, sub-Saharan Africa is a dangerous place in which to be born.  Children under 5, whose vital organs have not reached maturity, are most susceptible to malnutrition and malaria, two of the region's most common afflictions according to the World Health Organization. 

African children are also most likely to be double-orphaned than children in any other region on earth.  Ethiopia in particular has become one of the most popular sources for adopted children, ranking second worldwide behind China.

The story is that after nearly three years of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant and facing some pressure from Bill Clinton, who wants to be a grandfather, 33-year-old Chelsea Clinton and her husband, 35-year-old Marc Mezvinsky, have decided upon adoption. No big deal -- except instead of finding an unwanted white American baby or child, they're considering adopting a designer African baby. Chelsea reportedly warmed up to the idea during a recent trip to Africa.

Although popular with celebrities, adoption from countries within Africa tends to be expensive and complicated for your average citizen.  Africa seems to be ill-equipped in law, policy and practice, to provide its children with enough safeguards when they are adopted internationally.  In addition there are many children of color, if that is your choice available in the United States.

 

Families being torn apart by drug use, poverty, homelessness and even death. At any given moment there are 500,000 children in foster care across the United States with 26% being African American according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010 statistics.

 

Read more at http://madamenoire.com/68838/unraveling-the-black-adoption-myths-in-america/#48g220lRWbBBqRsU.99

Here are some numbers culled by Love Isn’t Enough that represent online profiles of adoptive families and what races they are open to adopting:

88% would ‘accept’ a White baby

33% would ‘accept’ a South American or Hispanic baby
28% would ‘accept’ an Asian baby
14% would ‘accept’ a Black baby

This is true of international adoption as well. Only 7% of internationally adopting parents adopt black children, with most prospective adoptive parents preferring to adopt a child of Asian or Eastern European descent.

 

 

Anyone who is seriously considering adoption will likely be informed that waiting for a white infant will take 2+ years, because there are so many prospective adoptive parents unwilling to adoptive a child of color. On the other hand, in most states there are black children waiting for families.

 

For a healthy US-born Black or bi-racial (Caucasian/African-American) infant the estimated wait is approximately 2 to 6 months in some places.