Cross Race adoptions
...ot… my self-proclaimed bohemian thrift shop clothing was ragged and cheap in their eyes. My brown skin suddenly felt dirty; my hair was a big bush of blackberry brier next to their silky blonde locks." Black children sometimes have traits that are related to being brought up by a white middle class family, and thus are looked down on by black peers. In the movie Losing Isaiah, a white family adopted Isaiah, a black child. In one particular scene Hannah asks Isaiah what the difference was between their hands. Isaiah answers with an innocent, "mines smaller." If a black child is raised in a white family he or she doesn't experience relations with people of the same race and therefore doesn't understand yet the meaning of that question. If Isaiah would be around other black children he would then begin to realize the difference of color. You cannot force a new culture on a child and expect him not to be treated differently because of his white background. Those who are against mixed race adoptions argue that black children raised in white families may not be exposed to their own history and culture. Carroll stated, "Through most of my childhood, I never saw a store-bought black baby doll, never read literature by or about black people, never was taught anything memorable about Africa, and certainly never related my experience to what was mentioned in school about America's slave history." Some social workers and psychologists question whether a black child raised by a white family would lose a sense of heritage. "Can a white person talk about race discrimination firsthand… can they explain black heritage or explain why their child's hair is kinky and not straight?"(Josar) Culture can only be taught to children from someone who has experienced it themselves. "Only a 'person of color' could prepare a black child to succeed."(Josar) A child needs to know and understand where he or she came from. Those who oppose mixed race adoptions argue that families who adopt children of mixed race are treating the child unfairly and are taking away their culture. Those supporting this kind of adoption, however, have their own beliefs that are just as strong. First supporters argue that class and money are issues when dealing with cross-racial adoptions. A child could be receiving improper care from a financially challenged family. The child might not be getting all the nutrition or the clothing they need. Secondly, supporters argue that social stigma does not play a role in cross race adoptions. They argue that it shouldn't matter what color skin the parent has, as long as the child who is being adopted is happy. Adoption criteria should be colorblind and focus on a parents ability to provide a loving home. "Long term studies dating back to the 1970's show it doesn't matter if black adopted child is raised by a black or white parent."(Josar) Bill Dockery, a white parent of a black child stated, "Researchers who followed 204 adoptive families for 20 years found that cross r...