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Oct 02, 2024

Adoption, Past, Present, Future

A non-political, politically motivated essay

Most of you Snarkastiteers are well aware that my debut domestic suspense novel revolves around the world of adoption. You know this—I drill it into your subconscious every chance I get. While the story in Not Yours to Keep touches on some very current, timely women’s issues, it’s not meant to be a political statement or lean one way or the other.

In a recent interview, though, the question arose—how will be the Dobbs’ decision impact adoption? To be clear, I am no authority on this. Statistics and I are not friends, and I’m not politically articulate. But, knowing the historically grueling, emotional consequences for birth parents, having met women suffering over the choices they felt coerced into making, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has been of concern. Will it take us back to a time when single or teen pregnancy carried a social stigma? In the past, many women endured an unwanted or difficult pregnancy, often in secret and shame. Will those “homes for unwed mothers,” now called “maternity homes,” reemerge? Are we again entering an era where people pressure and exploit vulnerable pregnant women into giving up their children? Will there be a recurrence or a surge of “available” babies?

There was an article about this around the summer of 2023.

Apologies to the author, as the citation seems lost. If memory serves, The Atlantic published it.

The article highlighted and backed up with statistics that there had been little change in the number of babies available for adoption. On the surface it was hopeful, but skeptically, it had been only a year since Dobbs.

This past July, NBC posted a newer article titled: “Adoption, not abortion? How the Dobbs decision is affecting adoption in the U.S.” The author wrote, “Some adoption agencies are seeing significant upticks in the number of infants placed in adoptive care, while others say it’s still too early to tell what role Dobbs is playing.”

Too early to tell. When it’s time to tell, will we have already slipped back too far? Will it be too late?

Care to discuss? If you can keep it non-political and kind, add your comment below:

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I (Didn’t) Read It:

Sadly, my TBR list is dustier than ever. Launch prep and life interruptus have put a damper on the time for and joy of reading.

Sticking a bookmark in it for now. This feature will return soon!

Audiobook release date October 8, 2024. Currently available for Pre-order on Amplify

And Now For Something Completely Serious…

Yielding this space to Last Licks:

Last Licks

Strudel doing her part to raise Brain Aneurysm Awareness:

September was Brain Aneurysm Month, but the need for awareness, research, and support is ongoing. Check out the Brain Aneurysm Foundation website to learn more.