I want to own “adoptee.”
It is day 13 of the #flipthescript campaign during #NationalAdoptionMonth. After posting this:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I love that we can <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthesscript?src=hash">#flipthesscript</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalAdoptionMonth?src=hash">#NationalAdoptionMonth</a> in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adoption?src=hash">#adoption</a> world, but can we please have time in mainstream media? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/news?src=hash">#news</a></p>— mothermade (@mothermade) <a href="https://twitter.com/mothermade/status/532922244306321408">November 13, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In just a short period of time, The New York Times posted a story by a writer named Laura Barcella. Barcella is well-known in the world of xoJane as a contributing editor. What wasn’t a widespread known fact was that she was also an adoptee.
The #flipthescript campaign has finally elevated the adoptee voices. Adoptee narratives are flooding the twitterverse. No one story lines up with another. Each has her/his own tale to tell. We have finally left the loyalty feelings behind and emerged our own adult selves.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The voices of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adoptees?src=hash">#adoptees</a> reverberate. Each share can <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthescript?src=hash">#flipthescript</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NAM14?src=hash">#NAM14</a> Thanks! <a href="http://t.co/ILu2WUCLbN">http://t.co/ILu2WUCLbN</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/theladyerrant">@theladyerrant</a> HT <a href="https://twitter.com/GarethMarr">@GarethMarr</a></p>— mothermade (@mothermade) <a href="https://twitter.com/mothermade/status/532901573408460801">November 13, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>“People tended to gloss over my feelings and the subject quickly got changed.” <a href="https://twitter.com/alisonnoyce">@alisonnoyce</a> <a href="http://t.co/ZxaQRki4Y4">http://t.co/ZxaQRki4Y4</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthescript?src=hash">#flipthescript</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NAM14?src=hash">#NAM14</a></p>— mothermade (@mothermade) <a href="https://twitter.com/mothermade/status/532931911203971073">November 13, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My mother & me. Reuniting after 50 sad & lonely yrs apart. My son snapped the photo. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldAdoptionDay?src=hash">#WorldAdoptionDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthescript?src=hash">#flipthescript</a> <a href="http://t.co/sw9vJoSHFp">pic.twitter.com/sw9vJoSHFp</a></p>— Renee Davis (@MizPotatohead) <a href="https://twitter.com/MizPotatohead/status/531494610661437440">November 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>This week on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlipTheScript?src=hash">#FlipTheScript</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalAdoptionMonth?src=hash">#NationalAdoptionMonth</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NAM14?src=hash">#NAM14</a> <a href="http://t.co/hnC5Lk7RZb">http://t.co/hnC5Lk7RZb</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/redthreadbroken?src=hash">#redthreadbroken</a></p>— mothermade (@mothermade) <a href="https://twitter.com/mothermade/status/531136027134406656">November 8, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My adoption experience. My thoughts. My voice. Same for young adoptees. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthescript?src=hash">#flipthescript</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalAdoptionMonth?src=hash">#NationalAdoptionMonth</a> <a href="http://t.co/0lXIrM0388">pic.twitter.com/0lXIrM0388</a></p>— Julie Stromberg (@JulieStromberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/JulieStromberg/status/533049213467516929">November 14, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Even the Presidential Memo on National Adoption month left <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adoptees?src=hash">#adoptees</a> out. New blog: <a href="http://t.co/ulv6gZOlss">http://t.co/ulv6gZOlss</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flipthescript?src=hash">#flipthescript</a></p>— Angela (@angieadoptee) <a href="https://twitter.com/angieadoptee/status/530761783829467136">November 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Before my feet touched Korean soil, I called my ceramics series “adopted.” Since returning, I have changed the way I view myself. Using the word “adopted” presents an action taken by someone other than myself. I am grown and can now act on who I am … an adoptee.