Celebrity Adoption - Helping or Hurting the Adoption Community?by Shoshanna Grey | More from this Blogger 14 Jun 2006 04:12 PM Over the last few years, the idea of celebrities adopting has really taken off. Angelina Jolie has adopted two children from Cambodia and Ethiopia. Meg Ryan just brought home a little girl from China. There are whispers that Jessica Simpson will adopt a child from Mexico. There is a lot of debate in the adoption community about whether these celebrity adoptions are a positive or negative development. Everyone has their own opinion and each argument seems to have its' merit. So, do celebrity adoptions really hurt the adoption community? We are a nation obsessed by celebrities. People strive to be like their favorite musicians and actors - whether it be by imitating their dress and activities or by mimicking their behavior. Unfortunately, most of what celebrities display is not very positive. However, some celebrities are doing wonderful things. They support charity organizations, become involved in relief work and encourage the public to step up and take responsibility for our world as a whole. There are millions of orphans worldwide. These children aren't just without parents. Most of them are also doing without the basic things that we take for granted - food, clothing, a safe place to live. In addition to that, these children have no future. In my mind, there is nothing more important than improving a life of a child. In this nation that idolizes celebrities, Americans are starting to take notice of the fact that celebrities are adopting and it is increasing the numbers of people who are also interested in taking that step. Adoption agencies report that inquiries into their adoption programs rise drastically when a celebrity adoption is in the news. Certainly, many of these inquiries do not go anywhere, but some of them do and that increases the number of children who find homes. In addition to encouraging others to adopt, celebrity adoptions play the part of making adoption a more accepted part of our society. Even though adoptions have become more and more common, adoptive families still face a lot of criticism and scrutiny in everyday life. When celebrities adopt, the idea of adoption becomes more accepted and thus more "normal" to the general public. In the long run, adoptive families become less of an oddity and instead they are simply another way of forming a loving family. So, even though there are controversies surrounding celebrity adoptions, I believe that overall their decision to adopt is helping to encourage others to do the same. Because of that, more children are finding the loving homes and the promising futures that they deserve. Learn more about Shoshanna Grey  Shoshanna Grey has worked as an occupational social worker, teacher, child care provider, customer service reqpresentative, college recruiter and several other positions over the years. Relevantadoption tags children | family | arguments against adoption | christmas | parenting | Scrapbooking | holidays | baby | pregnancy | relationships User Comments Samieschotz (5) 28 Sep 2008 08:02 PMThank you for your post on the celebrity adoption issue. Adoption is very important, and I know in American society it may even be seen as taboo; but, with the influx of celebrities choosing to adopt children, which would otherwise grow up in bad conditions and or unhealthy environments, it is becoming more popularly accepted. Although I do think adoption is a great option, I myself do think that celebrities making adoption a trend is not always helpful. I feel theses orphans, in some cases, are being used as publicity stunt. You did mention Angelina Jolie as one of the celebrities who has adopted children, but when she adopted her first son Maddox, she did so right after her scandalous break up with her former husband Billy Bob Thorton. Secondly, Meg Ryan brought her child home from China after tabloids has accused her of cheating on her ex Dennis Quaid. Maybe these celebrities had always planned on adopting, but their timing was closely connected to when the media put a spotlight on their personal lives. Also, because of the emotional connections made when adopting a child, I was wondering if you thought that growing up in the spotlight is the best thing for these adopted children? I have a close friend who is adopted and growing up she told me that she and other adopted children she knew had problems grasping who they really were. I would imagine that growing up in the public eye, for an adopted child, would only make these children more out of touch with their place in the world. I do think that with the celebrities' help of adopting children it has become more "normal", which I think could better the adoption community. What I find the most concerning is that it is now a trend in Hollywood and adoption should not be trendy. The children are not little dogs that you can carry around in a purse. It is a serious commitment to take care of child and all that goes with it. Community Tags adoption, adoptions, adoption in the media, communities, Celebrity, celebrity adoptions Discuss this article
|
Adoption categories
More adoption tagschildren | family | arguments against adoption | christmas | parenting | Scrapbooking | holidays | baby | pregnancy | relationships |
