Category: Multiple Identities

Growing Up Between Worlds as a Transracial Adoptee and Third Culture Kid

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptees Educate, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Nepal, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Third Culture Kid (TCK), Third Culture Kid Identity, Transracial Adoption, UK1 Comment

Rachel, a Nepalese transracial intercountry adoptee and Third Culture Kid reflects on race, belonging, identity, privilege, and growing up between cultures and worlds.

When search doesn’t lead to reunion: A Bulgarian adoptee’s reality

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Names, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Adoption questions, Bulgaria, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Finding biological mother, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Searching but no reunion in adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in Adoption, USA1 Comment

Nicole, adopted from Bulgaria, shares the painful reality of searching for origins, identity, and family—while learning to live without answers.

Rethinking “harm” in intercountry adoption

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption policy, adoption reform, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, intercountry adoption investigation, Justice Routes, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, legal identity erasure, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRCLeave a comment

Explores the emotional harm of intercountry adoption, where wrongdoing is acknowledged but justice remains out of reach for adoptees.

Understanding the Grief Adoptees Carry

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Intercountry adoptees often carry deep grief from separation, identity loss, and culture. Understanding begins with witnessing.

Finding My Bangladeshi Mother

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoption questions, Bangladesh, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Finding biological mother, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sweden, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Sofia shares her journey from Bangladesh to Sweden and the profound moment DNA testing confirmed her biological mother is alive.

Restoring Identity for Intercountry Adoptees

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption policy, adoption reform, adoption reversal, Adoptive Country, Advocacy, Birth Country, Citizenship in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, legal identity erasure, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Transracial Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle calls on States to restore identity, nationality, records, family ties, and allow adoption reversal where chosen as a matter of justice.

From Silence to Self: An Adoptee’s Song

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption questions, Adoptive parents, Belgium, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Grief and Loss for adoptive parents, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Cao shares a song written across decades, exploring search, grief, identity, and healing after loss, silence, and self-acceptance.

Intercountry adoptees taking legal action and reclaiming our rights

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Advocacy, Australia, Belgium, Birth Parents Searching, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Citizenship in Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ethiopia, Forced separation, France, Generational trauma, Germany, Gratitude in Adoption, Guatemala, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Justice Routes, Korea, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, UK, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, USA, Vietnam, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Intercountry adoptees worldwide are taking legal action to expose illegal adoptions, demand truth, and push for justice, accountability, and human rights reform.

Abandoned: its meaning and context

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Names, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption questions, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Ethiopia, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Andrea Kay helps us uncover the truth beyond the label 'abandoned' with DNA searching—bringing hope and rediscovery to Ethiopian adoptees and their families.

Book Review: Somewhere Sisters & Daughters of the Bamboo Grove

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Birth parents speak out, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in Adoption, Twins in adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle reviews Somewhere Sisters and Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, exploring identity, nature vs. nurture, and the truths of twins separated by intercountry adoption.

Self Reflections

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee vulnerability, Art therapy, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Poetry by Adoptees, Racial Mirrors, Russia, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Hannah reflects as a Russian Asian intercountry adoptee on identity, belonging, loss, and the emotional complexities of adoption.

Inner tension for adoptees

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Indonesia, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Hartini discusses the growth in awareness adoptees navigate as they understand their lost origins and the adaptations learned for survival in adopted world.

What rights should intercountry adoptees have?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Hague Special Commission, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lynelle writes about the rights that are to be enshrined in law and practice to create a system that upholds justice, transparency and dignity for every adoptee

The need for a national investigation into the role of the Australian governments in our intercountry adoption history

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption Agencies, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Adoptive parents, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Australia, Birth family trauma, Chile, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Philippines, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, Vietnam, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Lynelle discusses why its time to investigate the past of Australia's intercountry adoptions and look into the role our governments have played.

The most invisible adoptees

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Alcohol and drug addiction, Australia, Citizenship in Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Generational trauma, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racism in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle raises awareness of those intercountry adoptees who are incarcerated, an unheard voice.

Black Lotus

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Alternate therapies in adoption, Art therapy, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Germany, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of BelongingLeave a comment

Jonas Haid shares his artwork Black Lotus created and inspired by his own story of adoption from Sth Korea to Germany.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 2

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, China, China, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Emma shares her reflections as a Chinese intercountry adoptee having lived in China as a MSW student at NYU Shanghai.

USA Virtual Fair

On By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, China, Citizenship in Adoption, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Ethiopia, Greece, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle shares the recording of the USA Virtual Fair held on 1 June 2024 showcasing 20 intercountry adoptee led organisation who provide support to adoptees.

Navigating Disability and Rare Medical Conditions as an Intercountry Adoptee

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption and Disability, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, China, Complexities in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Iran, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Special Medical Conditions, Sri Lanka, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

What complex issues do intercountry adoptees living with disability and or a rare disease navigate? We have created a resource to help educate on this topic.

Suicide Amongst Adoptees

On By Guest BloggerIn 1993 Hague Convention, Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoption and Disability, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racism in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, South Korea, Suicide, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Hilbrand shares about the trauma in relinquishment and adoption and the connection with suicide amongst adoptees.

Adoptee Artists

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Art is an incredibly powerful tool to convey the complexities of lived experience in adoption. Here is a compilation of the artwork presented at ICAV.