Restoring Identity for Intercountry Adoptees

On January 31, 2026January 30, 2026 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.

Reunion and Beyond Webinar

On August 14, 2023January 9, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

ICAV shares part 2 of the Search and Reunion webinars in intercountry adoption by adoptee panelists.

Search and Reunion in Intercountry Adoption

On July 8, 2022January 21, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, DNA Searching, Importance of Connections to Origins, Key Themes in Search and Reunion, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Not ready for Reunion, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle provides a summary of ICAVs 2016 Perspective Paper: Search & Reunion - Impacts & Outcomes

What Happens After Reunion?

On January 30, 2022January 17, 2022 By Guest BloggerIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Matthew Pellegrino shares some realities of life after reunion for an intercountry adoptee, hoping to challenge the "happily ever after" myth of adoption.

A Picture Conveys a Thousand Emotions

On November 14, 2021November 15, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Sara shares her memories of childhood with her brothers by the well in Korea, just before her father gave them away to an orphanage. She is adopted to the USA.

My Father’s Death Anniversary

On November 6, 2021November 5, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

My Huong Le celebrates her American father in a Vietnamese tradition known as celebrating the Death Anniversary of loved ones. Sadly she never got to meet him.

The Ocean, My Mother

On September 16, 2021September 15, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Allison shares the struggles of reunion and beyond, the disappointments, re-traumatisation when our mothers reject us again; the lifelong journey of adoption.

Review of Reckoning with The Primal Wound

On September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 By lynellelongIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lynelle provides thoughts after watching Rebecca's Sansom's documentary Reckoning with the Primal Wound, an adoptee led film on the impacts of our separation.

Sold via adoption on the Gypsy black market in Greece

On August 20, 2021August 16, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn Australia, Greece, Illegal Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Roula shares her story of being sold as a baby by a Greek doctor who stole gypsy babies and trafficked them via adoption to foreign countries. The impacts, the ongoing complexities.

The Sin of Love

On August 5, 2021August 5, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn Grief and Loss, Illicit Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Uncategorized2 Comments

Chinese father who lost his daughter via intercountry adoption shares his story of loss and hope, now reunion and the memories and pain it has brought up.

Adopted from India to Belgium

On March 14, 2021March 8, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Annick shares her thoughts on being adopted from India, marrying another adoptee, having a child of her own.

The Stolen Children of Cambodia

On November 13, 2020July 17, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lizzie shares her project to explore her return to Cambodia.

The Adoption Fairy Tale

On November 9, 2020February 12, 2021 By Guest BloggerIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Sara shares the challenges of post reunion.

I Want My Brothers Back

On November 1, 2020November 1, 2020 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Erika shares the complications after reunion with her biological siblings.

Alone

On October 28, 2020November 17, 2020 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Debbie shares the secrets and lies in her adoption from Iran to the UK.

her name was maité, su nombre era maité

On November 20, 2019April 16, 2020 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

J Alonso shares his poetry as a Spanish intercountry adoptee.

Returning to Vietnam

On August 1, 2019May 22, 2022 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Kate shares about her return trip to Vietnam, her birth country.

Excerpt: First Letter to my Iranian Father

On April 13, 2019April 23, 2019 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Iranian adoptee shares her thoughts (excerpt) to her new found Iranian father.

Lost Siblings

On November 2, 2018November 2, 2018 By jaymekyopoIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Remembering My Youth As a child, I remember playing near the burn pits that laid by the small village of unpainted traditional Korean style homes (Hanoks). They nestled below a small outcrop of mountains, located in central Korea. My brother grabbed my hand to take me to see the prize he had found lying in …

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