Once again today we're talking to the ever insightful Mila Konomos! If you missed Part 1, be sure to catch up by reading here.
Deanna: What do you feel are the greatest misconceptions about adoption in general?
Mila: I think one of the most popular yet inaccurate views of
adoption is that it is ultimately a good thing. There is a general perspective
toward adoption that it is ultimately a noble and beautiful thing--when all is
said and done, all the suffering, loss, pain, damage associated with adoption
is ultimately mitigated by adoption. Adoption is still viewed as an overall
gain in which the loss is cancelled out by the love--this is a harmful
misconception that hurts everyone involved from the adoptee to the original
parents to the adoptive parents, because it creates unrealistic expectations
for everyone.
Another HUGE misconception that so many, especially Christians, REFUSE to dismantle is that adoption does not cause child abandonment/relinquishment, corruption, trafficking, and the like. Christians rarely acknowledge the demand and supply relationship that has been created by modern adoption philosophy and practices.
Christians revel in willful ignorance and choose to believe that adoption is “saving” children from orphanages and/or unloving, dangerous family situations. This is a terrible misconception--and this “head-in-the-sand” approach has provided the perfect substrate for pervasive corruption and abuse to flourish within the international adoption industry. And that’s another misconception--that adoption is not an industry. Oh, but it certainly is.
Deanna: What do you feel are the greatest misconceptions about adoption in general?
Another HUGE misconception that so many, especially Christians, REFUSE to dismantle is that adoption does not cause child abandonment/relinquishment, corruption, trafficking, and the like. Christians rarely acknowledge the demand and supply relationship that has been created by modern adoption philosophy and practices.
Christians revel in willful ignorance and choose to believe that adoption is “saving” children from orphanages and/or unloving, dangerous family situations. This is a terrible misconception--and this “head-in-the-sand” approach has provided the perfect substrate for pervasive corruption and abuse to flourish within the international adoption industry. And that’s another misconception--that adoption is not an industry. Oh, but it certainly is.
