Adoption in the world of OUAT
I started watching OUAT when my daughter saw that Elsa was coming to Storybrooke. We binge-watched together, and since then, it’s a Sunday night ritual.
To be honest, I nearly threw in the towel early on. More than once, I cringed at the way that adoptive relationships were being portrayed. Between the emphasis on biological ties, the minimization of Regina’s rights, and the general competition between an adoptive mom and a biological mom portrayed on the screen, it was tough for me to watch some of those early moments.
Ironically, this is the show I chose to watch while waiting for my own child’s adoption to be finalized, so my bias is obvious. However, it did make for an interesting look into the way the world/fandom perceive adoption.
I’ll be the first to say that I think the show has redeemed itself when it comes to its portrayal of adoptive relationships. Maybe that was the intention all along or maybe Lana advocated for that relationship. Either way, Regal Believer will always be the greatest love story the show has to offer in my opinion.
A few thoughts on the Zelena situation:
Anyone who insinuates or insists that OQ needs a “child of their own” (which is offensive in so, so many ways to so, so many people) have a clear misunderstanding of the nature of families created through adoption. Maybe it is ignorance or just an emotional response to a storyline, but it’s invalid considering that an adopted child would be just as much “their own” as a child born to them, sharing biological traits. Let’s not define what family is so flippantly.
Secondly, none of this is the kid’s fault. I’ve seen SO many people who are livid with the writers for putting this in Regina and Robin’s way, but the ironic thing is that many of those posts/asks claim that it somehow diminishes just how much this child can be theirs. There is absolutely no reason why Regina and Robin cannot raise this child, love this child in EXACTLY the same way they do Henry and Roland. Not for one second do I believe that it is within character for Regina to blame this baby for all that Zelena has done. We have seen in dialogue between the two of them that Regina intends to love, parent, and protect this child. The child is innocent and should not be blamed for the sins of the parent.
I think this has potential to be an incredibly beautiful story for Regina as a character. In fact, I think it has already shown just how far she has come. I’ll never pass up an opportunity to see Regina love someone. Never.
I do want to thank everyone who has responded to an ask or made a post supporting the idea that biology doesn’t make a family. As irritating as it is to see so much misunderstanding, it’s also incredibly heartwarming to see so many people who are willing to take the time to educate and explain why adoption matters and should never be diminished.
